Amusingly displayed a remarkable turn of class when she out‑classed the colts to capture the Qatar Prix Jean‑Luc Lagardère at Longchamp in Paris. Trainer Francis‑Henri Graffard caused a stir by moving his Juddmonte‑owned filly from the Prix Marcel Boussac, a race restricted to fillies, into a mixed‑sex contest, and the gamble was rewarded in spectacular fashion. Colin Keane, aboard the filly, was held back early and settled well behind the odds‑on favourite Folsom Blues. Both horses travelled smoothly, but when the finishing straight arrived Amusingly unleashed a decisive burst of speed that left the competition scrambling.
The daughter of No Nay Never surged ahead, pulling away with authority and crossing the line in commanding fashion. Graffard was quick to praise the performance: "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 added that the filly's speed profile suggested she might be better suited to sprint‑type events such as the Commonwealth Cup rather than a classic Guineas campaign next year.
"I have no idea if she'll go to the Breeders' Cup; I need to discuss that with the team," he said. "Today is a big win, so I just want to savour it, keep her healthy through the winter and look forward to a lovely filly next season. What she did today was wonderful." The Lagardère, run over seven furlongs, is a furlong shorter than the Boussac. Keane explained the decision to target this race: "The choice to run here rather than the Boussac was a collective one.
She had shown she struggled to finish the final half‑furlong over a mile on the last occasion. She's a filly with plenty of class and speed, and after a tight finish last time she was being hard‑ridden, so dropping back to seven furlongs made sense, even if it meant facing the colts." He continued, "She settled much better today, was less agitated and executed everything perfectly in the first half of the race.
When she hit that part of the race we thought she'd have a good run, and she proved how quickly she can accelerate. Time will tell if she's a Guineas filly; she certainly has the pace, but I see no reason she can't handle a mile." In the same meeting, Joseph O'Brien added another Group One triumph when his filly Green Empress edged out Data to win the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac.
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. Christophe Soumillon rode Green Empress confidently, taking the lead with half a furlong to go and appearing set for an easy victory until Data, trained by Christopher Head, challenged strongly in the closing stages.
O'Brien remarked, "It's special to have a Group One winner on this day; she's been progressive all season and only beaten by Sun Goddess. She has an excellent 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 assess her after today and discuss with the owners whether she should head to America for the Breeders' Cup or wait until next year." O'Brien highlighted the broader success of his stable, noting, "We're fortunate to have the support of great owners and a diverse group of horses. Performing well at major meetings is our goal, and having a big winner on Arc day is fantastic." The day's programme also featured a family milestone as Jack Nicholls secured his first Group One victory aboard the supplemented Miss Yechance in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines.
The 20‑year‑old jockey, grandson of legendary sprinter trainer David "Dandy" Nicholls and son of former jockey‑turned‑trainer Adrian Nicholls, seized the moment in his debut at the top level. Nicholls found himself head‑to‑head with Ryan Moore on Mission Central in the final furlong, timing his run perfectly to clinch a historic win for Karl Burke's filly.
Shiri finished second, with Mission Central close behind. Reflecting on the experience, Nicholls said, "I've never felt anything like it; words can't describe it. 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 added, "I didn't expect a Group One ride, and I'm forever grateful to the owners and Karl for trusting me.
The Nicholls name is synonymous with sprinting – my grandfather was one of the best sprint trainers ever, and my dad won two Group Ones. It would be odd not to be riding sprints.
Continent, a family favorite, was in the field in retirement. If I could pick any Group One, it would have been the Abbaye. My dad is the best dad in the world; he told me it would be the fastest and weirdest 55 seconds of my life." The victory was also a morale boost for the Burke yard, which had suffered the loss of stable star Fallen Angel earlier in the week.
Nicholls noted, "It's great for the yard, especially after a tough day with Fallen Angel. She might have been looking down and helped us in the 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 triumph underscoring the value of bold decisions and the importance of matching a horse's innate speed to the right distance. The performances hinted at exciting possibilities for the upcoming season, from potential Classic campaigns to international targets such as the Breeders' Cup, and set the stage for further memorable moments in European racing.