Erdenali stepped up to the elite tier of racing with a commanding performance, proving too strong for the assembled field in the Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. The Group One contest attracted a formidable British and Irish lineup, highlighted by Aidan O'Brien's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Gstaad, who entered as the odds-on favourite.
Close behind were Charlie Appleby’s well‑regarded Opera Ballo and Ed Walker’s tenacious Ten Bob Tony, both considered serious threats. Unlike the seasoned trio, Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Erdenali arrived at Longchamp without prior Group One experience. Nevertheless, his early career had been impressive: he had captured his first three starts and, despite an unlucky third‑place finish in a recent Group Three, he was already viewed as an exciting prospect. The race unfolded with Gstaad’s pacemaker Dorset taking the early lead, allowing Opera Ballo to assume a prominent position.
As the field entered the final furlong, Appleby’s charge began to fade, and the race turned into a duel between Erdenali and the surprise Queen Anne winner Ten Bob Tony. Erdenali proved superior in that decisive battle, pulling ahead of Ten Bob Tony and leaving Gstaad, who never threatened to challenge for the win, well behind. Gstaad ultimately finished a disappointing third, while Erdenali’s victory confirmed his ability to compete at the highest level. After the race, Nemone Routh, the French racing manager and director for the Aga Khan Studs, spoke to Sky Sports Racing.
She explained that the team had been undecided about sending Erdenali to the Arc sale, but his performance had changed their plans. Routh noted that Erdenali does not always look impressive in the morning; a casual observer of his morning workouts would not have been overly impressed. However, everything comes together in the afternoon, she said, and the horse should have been unbeaten – the Group Three loss was the result of a “nightmare trip.” The primary goal of running in the Prix du Moulin was to test whether Erdenali could handle Group One competition, and, according to Routh, he did so “quite resoundingly.” Following his triumph, Erdenali became Coral’s new 2‑1 favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot.
Yet the connections, who have several horses capable of contesting the same division, are keeping their options open. Routh mentioned that they also have Samangan, who could target the Prix de la Forêt if the ground stays firm, and Rayif, a potential entrant for the QEII. She added that they were considering a trip to Keeneland after the QEII, but Erdenali’s recent performance may prompt a reassessment of that plan. "He’s definitely shown us he’s a Group One horse," she affirmed.
Ed Walker, speaking about the runner‑up Ten Bob Tony, expressed his pride and emotion. He admitted his voice was hoarse from excitement and praised the horse’s remarkable season, noting that Ten Bob Tony had “stepped it up a gear” and delivered a huge performance. Walker confessed he felt a little gutted, believing his own horse might have won had he given the eventual winner the respect he deserved. He reiterated that the original plan was always to aim for the QEII, with a possible Breeders’ Cup appearance thereafter, emphasizing that the welfare of the horse remains paramount and hoping for many more racing seasons.
The article also touched on other notable performances from the meeting. Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini, who had been a favourite for the Epsom Derby before a controversial non‑run, rebounded to claim Classic glory at the Curragh three weeks later and later finished a respectable third in the King George at Ascot. Returning from a brief break, the Frankel‑sired Benvenuto Cellini was expected to make a strong bid for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
However, after chasing his stablemate Montreal from the home turn, he faded to fifth place as Montreal ran out of steam in the final furlong. In contrast, Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Varandir, who had placed fourth behind William Haggas’s Maltese Cross in the Grand Prix de Paris, seized the lead under jockey Mickael Barzalona and secured a comfortable victory over the staying‑on horse Alam.
When asked if the win was unexpected, Routh responded that it was not a huge surprise. She explained that Varandir had shown significant improvement over the season, both mentally and physically, and that his performance in the Grand Prix de Paris indicated he was ready for a step up.
She added that the horse needed this run after a heavy effort in the preliminaries. Varandir’s odds for the Arc were cut dramatically by Coral, moving from 40‑1 to 20‑1, positioning him as a serious contender alongside last year’s winner Daryz.
Routh confirmed that Varandir is slated for the Arc, pending a discussion with owner Princess Zahra, and suggested that having two runners from the same ownership could be advantageous, providing better odds and draw options. Overall, the Qatar Prix du Moulin meeting highlighted the emergence of new Group One talent in Erdenali, the resilience of established stars like Benvenuto Cellini, and the strategic planning of the Aga Khan operation as they target the season’s remaining marquee events. The performances underscored the depth of the current racing crop and set the stage for compelling storylines as the campaign moves toward the Arc, the QEII, and potentially the Breeders’ Cup.