Diamond Necklace suffered her first loss when Aventure reminded everyone of her elite abilities in the Sumbe Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville. The French‑bred filly, a daughter of St Mark's Basilica and trained by Aidan O'Brien, had been tipped to sparkle once more on French soil after a flawless six‑start campaign that included victories in the Prix Marcel Boussac, the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane.
Those triumphs had left her unbeaten and positioned her as a favorite for the Deauville contest. However, the experienced Christophe Ferland‑trained elder sister proved too much for the O'Brien runner. Ferland's filly, who had already added a Group One win in the Prix Vermeille to her résumé the previous year, displayed the composure and stamina that come only with age and seasoned racing. In a tightly contested finish, the third place went to Timeforshowcasing, a Charlie Johnston‑trained colt who was ridden brilliantly by Jack Mitchell.
Pierre‑Yves Bureau, the racing manager for the Wertheimer brothers, expressed his delight: "We were thrilled when she captured the Prix Corrida earlier in the season, but we admit we made an error by stretching her out to a mile and a half in the Grand Prix de Saint‑Cloud. The field was strong, featuring Diamond Necklace among others, yet our mare delivered a performance that was simply extraordinary. She is a true champion, and while we will eventually consider her as a broodmare, we intend to enjoy her racing career for as long as possible." Aventure's victory over O'Brien's star performer earned her a 20/1 starting price from Paddy Power for the upcoming Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, following her earlier success against Bluestocking in the 2024 edition of that race.
Nevertheless, her connections have decided against a third attempt at Europe's most prestigious middle‑distance race. Instead, the five‑year‑old will be aimed at the 10‑furlong Prix de l'Opéra on Arc day, with a possible trip to Keeneland later in the season. Bureau added: "It is unusual, but the filly is actually gaining speed as she matures, and ten furlongs now seems to be her ideal distance.
She has been prepared meticulously for this target. Our plan is to run her in the Prix de l'Opéra and, if everything goes well, consider a journey to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. We will take it step by step, one race at a time.
The next step is the Opéra." In other news, Senorita Bonita displayed a devastating turn of foot to claim victory in the Sumbe Prix Morny. The filly, purchased for 900,000 guineas at April's Craven Breeze‑Up sale and owned by Simon and Ed Crisford, arrived on the Normandy coast eager to follow up her Newmarket Duchess of Cambridge Stakes win, a triumph that had been bolstered earlier in the week by Libertango's Lowther Stakes success. Ridden by Oisin Murphy, Senorita Bonita was held towards the rear of the field while the Clive Cox‑trained Orthodox set the early pace.
As the race entered its final third, Murphy asked for acceleration. The response was immediate: the filly not only erased the deficit but also surged ahead of the long‑time pacesetter, securing a decisive win. Crisford praised his charge: "She showed a brilliant turn of foot. The early fractions were strong, but she finished superbly, galloping out with great vigor.
She was a little slow out of the gates and lingered behind early, yet the race was set up for closers and she proved the best of them. At the halfway point I briefly wondered if we faced a mountain to climb, but her acceleration at the furlong pole made it clear she would finish strongly." This victory marked the second Group One win for the father‑son training partnership after Vandeek's success in 2023, and it continued the impressive record of fillies in the race, following Venetian Sun's triumph for Karl Burke a year earlier. The Victorious Racing‑owned Senorita Bonita now sets her sights on the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, where bookmakers have offered her 5/2 odds.
The race could see a repeat encounter with Libertango and also feature recent York winner Sun Goddess. Crisford summed up the campaign: "All roads now lead to the Cheveley Park at the end of September. That was a fantastic performance – a deep, deep renewal and a truly pleasing effort.
She looked impressive throughout. Any Group One win is a huge achievement, and we are delighted.
It reflects the hard work of the staff back home and everyone involved. Winning for Shaikh Nasser (bin Hamed Al Khalifa) and Shaikh Khalid (bin Hamed Al Khalifa) makes it even more special." Both Aventure and Senorita Bonita exemplify the depth of talent in European thoroughbred racing, demonstrating how experience, training acumen, and innate ability can combine to overturn expectations and create memorable moments on the track. Their connections remain focused on future targets, balancing ambition with careful planning to ensure each mare can continue to perform at the highest level while preserving their long‑term value as potential broodmares.
The upcoming weeks promise further excitement as fans watch these elite fillies navigate the challenging spring and summer calendars, potentially adding more Group One victories to their impressive résumés.