Record-Breaker Scorpion Lifts Grand Prix

Scorpion set a new track record as he confirmed his Budweiser Irish Derby second was no fluke with an emphatic success in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp yesterday.

The Aidan O´Brien-trained colt had been an unconsidered 33-1 chance when chasing home Hurricane Run at the Curragh, but on the back of that run he was sent off the 6-4 favourite for the revamped French Group One.

And he did not let his supporters down on Bastille Day as he found plenty for pressure under Kieren Fallon to score readily from Desideratum.

The son of Montjeu timed 2min 24.3sec to break the old mark over a mile and a half set by Peintre Celebre in the 1997 Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe.

In doing so, he gave the racing authorities due cause for slapping themselves on the back because they had decided last year to raise both the prize-money and the distance of the race from 10 furlongs.

'We would like to congratulate the connections of Scorpion for breaking the record and it gives us great pleasure that our decision to change the race´s format has worked out so well on its first running,' said racing supremo Baron Edouard de Rothschild.

Scorpion had given cause for concern prior to the race because he got excited in the pre-race parade.

But once Fallon had him out of the stalls he was calm personified and settled in behind pacesetter Airex, who was slightly thrown off balance when Musketier trod on the back of his hooves.

However, he regained his poise and led a strong pace with Scorpion always tracking him, while the Elie Lellouche-trained Annenkov covered the Irish raider on his outside.

Fallon kicked Scorpion into the lead on the turn into the final straight but was immediately challenged by Desideratum, who briefly looked as if he would overhaul him.

The former champion jockey conjured another gear, though, and Scorpion quickened clear of Christophe Soumillon´s mount to score by two and a half lengths.

The unfancied Orion Star, who had been behind during the early stages, stayed on well down the outside for third, while British representative Plea Bargain, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Jimmy Fortune, ran respectably to finish fourth.

Fallon said he had not been too concerned that Scorpion acted up before the off.

The colt had disappointed on his last outing in France, when he beat just one home in the French Derby, but his rider said: 'He is improving all the time. He is getting better and better.

'We wanted to make the running, but the other fellow (Airex) wanted to, so I decided to settle him in behind and I was never worried. I was confident he would produce the goods when he needed to.'

A flurry of betting activity saw Scorpion slashed to 8-1 from 20-1 by Coral for the Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe behind Hurricane Run, who is the 3-1 favourite.

Ladbrokes, meanwhile, cut Scorpion to 5-4 favourite from 3-1 for the St Leger, while Cashmans cut him to 9-4 from the same price for the final Classic of the season.

(C) PA Sport