Lilac beats Cirrus Des Aigles in Longchamp Golden Lilac got the better of the hat-trick-seeking Cirrus Des Aigles to make a winning seasonal reappearance in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on Sunday afternoon. Cirrus Des Aigles was unsurprisingly the 4-7 favourite following victories in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan and the Prix Ganay at Longchamp. But he had no answer when Golden Lilac (6-1) was switched from the rail to challenge by Maxime Guyon, with Andre Fabre's filly showing a potent turn of foot to get on top close home. All appeared to be going well for Cirrus Des Aigles at the halfway stage, with Corine Barande-Barbe's pride and joy bowling along merrily at the head of affairs under Olivier Peslier. But Golden Lilac, last year's French 1000 Guineas and French Oaks heroine, was going equally well in the favourite's slipstream and showed the better acceleration when it mattered. Planteur, the Marco Botti-trained Dubai World Cup third, occupied the same position in this nine-furlong Group One and ran a perfectly respectable race and was not beaten far. Penitent, trained in North Yorkshire by David O'Meara, finished last. The winner was taking her record to six wins from just seven career starts with her sole defeat having come on her final start of 2011 when third to Galikova.
