Amusingly displayed a dazzling turn of class as she out‑performed the colts to capture the Qatar Prix Jean‑Luc Lagardère at Longchamp in Paris. The filly, owned by Juddmonte and trained by Francis‑Henri Graffard, surprised many when Graffard elected to move her from the Prix Marcel Boussac – a race restricted to fillies – to a mixed‑sex contest. The gamble paid off in spectacular fashion. Colin Keane, aboard Am Amusingly, settled his mount toward the rear of the field in the early stages, allowing the odds‑on favourite, Folsom Blues, to dictate the pace.
Both horses travelled smoothly and appeared in good rhythm. However, when the finishing straight arrived, the National Stakes winner trained by Joseph O'Brien could not match the late acceleration of Amusingly, the daughter of the sprinter No Nay Never. The filly surged ahead, pulling away with authority to claim a decisive victory. After the race, Graffard explained his decision: "She beat the filly that finished second in the Marcel Boussac (Data) very easily, so I was hoping I hadn't made a mistake." He went on to praise Amusingly's speed, noting that he had suggested to Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon that the filly might be better suited to the Commonwealth Cup distance next season rather than a classic Guineas trip.
"I have no idea if she'll go to the Breeders' Cup; I need to discuss that with the team," Graffard added. "Today's win is huge, and we want to enjoy it, give her a good winter, and look forward to next year. What she did today was wonderful." The Lagardère is contested over seven furlongs, a full furlong shorter than the Boussac.
Keane offered insight into the strategic switch: "The decision to run her here rather than the Boussac was a collective one. She had struggled to finish strongly over a mile, fading in the final half‑furlong. She has tremendous class and pace, but she used up too much energy on the bridle last time, so dropping back to seven furlongs made sense, even though we were taking on the colts." He continued, "She was much more relaxed today, not as gassy, and executed the first half of the race perfectly.
When she hit that part of the race we knew she would run well, and she showed how quickly she can accelerate. Time will tell if she's a Guineas filly; she has plenty of speed, but I see no reason she can't handle a mile." The meeting also featured a thrilling victory for Joseph O'Brien in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, where his filly Green Empress edged out Data in a close finish.
Green Empress, never having 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 confidently by Christophe Soumillon, Green Empress took the lead with half a furlong to go and looked set for an easy win until Data, trained by Christopher Head, launched a late challenge.
O'Brien praised his charge: "It's special to have a Group One winner today. She's been progressive all season and has only ever been beaten by Sun Goddess.
Her pedigree is superb—by Saxon Warrior out of a Sea The Stars mare—and we see her as a miler who could stretch to ten furlongs later on. We'll discuss with the owners whether she heads to the Breeders' Cup in America or waits for next year." O'Brien reflected on his own successful year, noting the importance of support from owners and a diverse stable: "We're very lucky to have great people behind us. It's about performing and executing at big meetings, and having a big winner on Arc day is fantastic." In the sprint category, 20‑year‑old Jack Nicholls fulfilled a family legacy by winning his first Group One aboard the supplemented Miss Yechance in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines. Nicholls, the grandson of renowned sprint trainer David "Dandy" Nicholls and son of former jockey‑turned‑trainer Adrian Nicholls, seized his opportunity in his debut top‑level ride.
He battled alongside veteran Ryan Moore on Mission Central in the final furlong, timing his move perfectly to secure a historic victory for Karl Burke’s filly. Shiri finished second, with Mission Central a close third.
Nicholls described the emotion of the moment: "I've never felt anything like it; words can't describe it. I can't take much credit – the horse does everything herself and I'm just the lucky lad who gets to sit on her back. I try to keep her happy and she does the rest. I never imagined I'd get a Group One ride, and I'm forever grateful to the owners and Karl for trusting me." He also reflected on his family's deep roots in sprint racing: "The Nicholls name is synonymous with sprinters.
My grandfather was probably one of the best sprint trainers ever, and my dad has two Group Ones. It would be odd if I weren't riding in sprint races. Continent was a special horse for the family; we had him in the field in retirement.
If I could pick any Group One, it would be 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 win was a morale boost for the Burke yard, which had suffered a setback the previous day with the loss of stable star Fallen Angel. Nicholls added, "It's great for the yard.
They had a bad day yesterday 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, owners, and jockeys, with Amusingly's unexpected triumph, Green Empress's narrow victory, and Jack Nicholls' breakthrough all underscoring the unpredictable excitement of top‑level flat racing.
The performances also set up intriguing possibilities for the upcoming season, as connections weigh options ranging from classic mile races to international championships such as the Breeders' Cup. The blend of strategic placement, pedigree insight, and raw speed demonstrated throughout the meeting will undoubtedly influence future decisions for these promising horses and their teams.