Future plans for Inspiral remain uncertain following a delayed start that hindered her bid for a third Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday.
The high-class mare, trained by John and Thady Gosden, has previously earned six Group One victories, including consecutive wins in Deauville’s prestigious midsummer event. However, after placing fourth in the Lockinge at Newbury and sixth in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier this season, Ryan Moore replaced Kieran Shoemark for her return to France.
As has been the case before, Inspiral missed the break and ultimately settled for minor honours behind British competitor Charyn.
Cheveley Park’s managing director, Chris Richardson, commented that Inspiral ran very well despite a poor start. He noted that it is challenging to overcome a deficit of five or six lengths in such competitive races. Although Inspiral did not help her own cause, she still performed admirably. Richardson also observed that Ryan Moore would have preferred a better start, but Inspiral did well to recover and finish strongly after losing so much ground.
While Inspiral’s performance showed improvement from her earlier starts this season, it was still below her peak form. Last year, after defending her Marois title successfully, she triumphed in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket and went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf under Frankie Dettori.
Future plans for Inspiral may include both of these races if she continues her career, though nothing has been confirmed yet. Richardson indicated that they would assess how she recovers from this race before making any decisions about her future. He noted that it was a much-improved performance and that she usually comes into form around this time of year. If she continues racing, the Sun Chariot seems like a logical next step, with a decision about the Breeders’ Cup to be made afterwards.
Richardson concluded that Inspiral appeared more comfortable in her recent race, but it is still too early to determine her future. They will evaluate how she responds in the coming days before making further decisions.