Amusingly displayed remarkable class as she outclassed the male rivals to claim the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère at Longchamp in Paris. Trainer Francis‑Henri Graffard made a bold move by stepping his Juddmonte‑owned filly down from the Prix Marcel Boussac, where she had been racing against her own sex, and the gamble paid off in spectacular fashion.
Colin Keane, aboard the filly, settled at the rear of the field in the opening stages, keeping a close eye on the odds‑on favourite Folsom Blues. Both horses travelled smoothly and seemed to be travelling well together. However, when the finishing straight arrived, the National Stakes winner under Joseph O'Brien could not match Amusingly's explosive acceleration.
The daughter of No Nay Never surged ahead, pulling away with authority and crossing the line in a display of sheer brilliance. Graffard was quick to praise his charge: "She beat the filly that finished second in the Marcel Boussac (Data) very easily, so I was hoping I didn't make a mistake," he said.
He added that the filly's speed suggested she might be better suited to races like the Commonwealth Cup rather than a classic Guineas campaign next season. "I have no idea if she'll go to the Breeders' Cup – I need to speak to the team. Today is a big win, so I just want to enjoy that, keep her fresh over the winter, and look forward to next year. What she has done today is wonderful." The Lagardère, contested over seven furlongs, was a furlong shorter than the Boussac.
Keane explained the strategic choice: "The decision to run in this race rather than the Boussac was a collective one. She had struggled to finish the final half‑furlong over a mile on her last outing.
She is a filly with plenty of class and a lot of pace; she had been pulling hard on the bridle before being eased at the finish last time, so dropping back to seven furlongs made sense, even though we were taking on the colts." He continued, noting how relaxed the filly appeared: "She settled much better today, wasn’t as agitated, and executed everything correctly in the first half of the race. When she hit that part, we knew she would run a good race and she showed how well she can quicken. Time will tell if she's a Guineas filly – she does have a lot of pace, but I see no reason she can't handle a mile." In the same meeting, Joseph O'Brien added another Group One win to his résumé when Green Empress edged out Data to capture the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, also at Longchamp. Green Empress, who has never finished outside the top two in her career, paid tribute to the outstanding Sun Goddess, the only filly to have beaten her on three occasions.
Ridden with confidence by Christophe Soumillon, Green Empress seized the lead with a half‑furlong to go and appeared set for an easy victory until Christopher Head's Data launched a fierce challenge in the closing stages. O'Brien reflected on the achievement: "It’s special to have a Group One winner on this day. She has progressed steadily and has only ever been beaten by Sun Goddess this year.
She boasts a superb pedigree – by Saxon Warrior out of a Sea The Stars mare – and we see her as a miler who could stretch to ten furlongs in the future. We'll discuss with the owners whether she heads to America for the Breeders' Cup or we wait until next season." The triumph added to a banner year for O'Brien, who praised the support of his owners and the variety of horses in his stable: "We’re very lucky to have the backing of great people and a wide range of owners. For us it’s about performing and delivering at the biggest meetings.
It’s fantastic to secure a big win on Arc day." Jack Nicholls continued his family’s sprinting legacy by winning his first Group One aboard the supplemented Miss Yechance in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines. The 20‑year‑old, the grandson of David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls – a legendary sprint trainer who captured the race in 2002 with Continent – and son of former jockey‑turned‑trainer Adrian Nicholls, seized the moment in what has been a breakthrough season. Riding in his debut top‑level race, Nicholls found himself side by side with Ryan Moore on Mission Central in the final furlong.
He timed his run perfectly, guiding Miss Yechance to the win, while Shiri took second and Mission Central finished third. "I’ve never felt anything like this; there are no words to describe it," Nicholls said.
"I can’t take much credit – she does everything herself and I’m just the lucky lad who gets to sit on her. I try to keep her happy and she does the rest." He also reflected on the family connection: "The Nicholls name is synonymous with sprinting. My grandfather was probably one of the best sprint trainers ever, and my dad has won two Group Ones, so it would be odd if I wasn’t riding in sprint races. Continent was a special horse for the family; we had him in the field in retirement.
I would have taken any Group One, but if I could choose, it would have been the Abbaye. My dad is the best dad in the world – he told me the race would be the fastest 55 seconds of my life and the weirdest as well." The victory was a morale boost for the Burke yard, which had suffered the loss of stable star Fallen Angel just days earlier. Nicholls added, "It’s great for the yard – they had a bad day with Fallen Angel, and perhaps she was looking down and helped us in those last 50 yards. It’s very special." Overall, the day at Longchamp showcased the depth of talent across trainers, jockeys, and owners, with Amusingly’s dominant performance, Green Empress’s hard‑fought win, and Jack Nicholls’ historic family triumph highlighting the excitement and drama that define top‑level flat racing.