Reel second as Bay wins French Derby New Bay finished with a flourish to provide Andre Fabre with a fourth victory in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. The Khalid Abdullah-owned son of Dubawi was settled in the rear by French champion jumps jockey Vincent Cheminaud for much of the extended mile-and-a-quarter journey and remained nearer last than first rounding the home turn. Once angled wide to challenge, though, New Bay showed thrilling acceleration to run to the lead and was ultimately well on top of Aidan O'Brien's challenger Highland Reel as he passed the post under his jubilant jockey. Cheminaud, whose mount won by a length and a half, said: "It's an incredible feeling. New Bay is an extraordinary horse." Highland Reel bounced back from a disappointing run when favourite for the French 2000 Guineas to fill the runner-up spot in the hands of O'Brien's son, Joseph. Of the two other Ballydoyle contenders the Ryan Moore-ridden Cape Clear Island failed to get competitive, while War Envoy was a long way behind in last place. Alain de Royer-Dupre's much-vaunted Karaktar looked poised to challenge early in the straight, but his run petered out and he was ultimately disappointing, while War Dispatch finished an unlucky-in-running third under Ioritz Mendizabal. O'Brien said of his trio: "I'm delighted with Highland Reel. He ran a very good race. He progressed well from the last race. I'm very happy with his race. "He has a lot of options. There is the Irish Derby or the Eclipse. He has all of those races possible. The winner quickened up very well, didn't he? "Cape Clear Island wants fast ground. War Envoy ran disappointing. Maybe a mile and a quarter is too far."
