Diamond Necklace sparkles in French 1000 Guineas

Diamond Necklace kept her unbeaten record intact with a seamless victory in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp.

Aidan O’Brien’s 4-5 favourite won the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day in October and followed the inside route of Rayif in the 2000 Guineas to burst clear a furlong and a half from home.

Zanthos was sent straight the front by Oisin Murphy, as Diamond Necklace tucked in on the rail with main market rival Narissa racing towards the rear of the field, on ground officially described as very soft.

With the rain pouring down, Ryan Moore remained as cool as ever as he waited for the gap to appear and once he asked the St Mark’s Basilica filly to quicken it was all over, as she stylishly accounted for The Last Dance to make it four wins from four on what was her first run of the year.

O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing: “Ryan gave her a brilliant ride. She’s just like her dad, improved a lot from two to three.

“She was very classy last year. Christophe (Soumillon) won on her twice and today was the first time for Ryan to ride her on a raceday and he gave her a beautiful ride.

“What can you say? She’s very cool, she’s got a lot of natural ability. I’m over the moon for everybody. She’s a lovely filly, very natural.

“He had a lovely position on her. She went through the race very easily, she handled the ground very well. She’s a natural and her dad was like that.

“He won the Guineas here and then went back and won the French Derby and we saw what he did after that. She’s beautiful.

“She’s got an unbelievable pedigree. It’s all her dad. He improved a lot from two to three and she looks like doing the same.

“We had it in our heads that she would be a Prix de Diane filly or maybe an Oaks. It depends on what the lads want to do, but we thought that was what she was going to do and maybe go up to a mile and a quarter. She’s very exciting and we’re so lucky to have her.”