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Camille Pissarro added his name to an illustrious roll of honour by landing the prestigious Group 1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, producing a professional performance under Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien in Sunday’s Chantilly highlight.
The son of Wootton Bassett was last seen finishing third behind stablemate Henri Matisse in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp in May, and the step up in trip was expected to suit. The win marked a third career victory for the colt, who had previously claimed top-level success in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère at ParisLongchamp as a two-year-old.
The race played out at a solid tempo, with the winner's Ballydoyle stablemate Trinity College setting the early fractions before being overtaken by Bowmark, as the pair ensured a searching test of stamina. They opened up a three-length gap on the chasing pack, with Cualificar representing Godolphin as the nearest pursuer, and Detain well placed in fourth.
Camille Pissarro travelled smoothly throughout, hugging the inside rail and saving ground. Although briefly trapped behind horses, Moore bided his time before weaving through runners and unleashing a decisive turn of foot once a gap appeared. Despite late efforts from the Aga Khan Studs' duo Azimpour and Ridari, no rival truly threatened the winner, who asserted close to home to defeat Cualificar by half a length, with Detain finishing a further neck back in third. Stablemate Trinity College stayed on one-paced to claim fourth.
Speaking at the France Galop press conference, Ryan Moore reflected: "He was very straightforward, he began nicely, relaxing into a good rhythm and I was able to move smoothly from halfway. I had to show a bit of patience and wait for a run. It was a very smart performance from a horse who seems to be getting better. He's a good-looking horse, always been well-thought of."
Aidan O'Brien added: "He's a big powerful horse, so he was obviously a little bit weak as a juvenile. He progressed as the year went on and he's a big-framed, brainy horse with a good mind. At the end of the year, we felt he was a good horse and he could win a Group 1, so that's why we went for the race on Arc day — the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. He was always, as an individual, special and a top-class Group 1 horse.
"He ran in the French Guineas, which obviously Ryan won on Henri Matisse. Christophe [Soumillon], who rode him that day, was adamant he would stay ten furlongs and should go for the French Derby. Everyone at home has done a great job with him, everyone was really happy that he was coming together. Ryan was delighted with the draw and gave him a masterclass — he produced him very late and said the horse had the gears to quicken."
Camille Pissarro was sold for 1.25 million guineas as a yearling by C N Farms Limited and is a half-brother to Golden Horde, who captured the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in 2020. With another Group 1 title now to his name, Camille Pissarro joins an elite list of Prix du Jockey Club winners and looks set for further top-level engagements as the season progresses.
The winner, who holds two Royal Ascot entries in the St James's Palace and Commonwealth Cup later this month, was trimmed to 8-1 (from 50) for the Coral-Eclipse and 16-1 (from 20) for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Paddy Power.
