Owners enjoying first evening meal in Paris
SOLARIO RACING owners enjoyed a wonderful week end in Paris with top quality racing, fine gastronomic fayre and the odd libation! Enable may not quite have read the script but her defeat certainly didn’t diminish what was a wonderful day’s racing with six Group Ones.
The week end began with Solario Racing owners and guests taking the Eurostar to Gard du Nord on Friday morning. Starting as we meant to go on, champagne and canapés made the smooth journey to Paris even smoother and we arrived at the hotel during the afternoon, in plenty of time to freshen up before going for a wonderful meal at a nearby fine dining French restaurant.
On the banks of the Seine
Saturday was a day for owners and guests to explore Paris on their own but many decided to take the trip boat trip down the Seine to view the capital city. After taking in the sights it was time for lunch and in the evening everyone gathered together for another great meal at a lively, local French bistro.
The weather on Arc day was unexpectedly warm which attracted a good crowd of some 33,000, although below the 40,000 plus expected by the France Galop. There was huge expectation of Enable winning an unprecedented third Arc and as she swept to the front two out, a great roar rang out around Longchamp. However, Waldgeist had his own ideas and sadly for the filly, Frankie, John Gosden and all the British fans willing her on, she was beaten by the Andre Fabre-trained 5yo, ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot, who had ridden a four-timer at the track the day before.
A pensive Frankie cantering back on Enable after the Arc
So, no history in the making but Solario Racing owners celebrated anyway in the evening, especially as it was owner, Mick White’s birthday the next day. The week end’s wining and dining finished at a local Italian and the champagne flowed as we all sang Happy Birthday to Mick.
Solario Racing’s first trip to the Arc finished with birthday cake on the return Eurostar trip back to blighty yesterday. Everyone had a fabulous week end and it is certainly something we will do again next year.
