A dominant performance from Sunly in the Listed Prix de la Seine

Juddmonte homebred Sunly delivered a dominant performance in Sunday's Listed Prix de la Seine, a traditional launching pad for next month's Gr1 Prix de Diane, at ParisLongchamp.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 5th May 2025:

The May-foaled chestnut notched a three-length debut tally at the same track last month and remained unbeaten with a two and a half-length triumph in this return. However, she is not engaged in the Diane but retains an entry in the Chantilly's Gr.3 Prix de Royaumont.

The eventual winner, sent postward at odds of 12-5, settled into a comfortable rhythm racing in a handy fourth from the outset of this 11-furlong fillies' contest. Nudged along approaching the home straight, she powered to the front with 300 metres remaining and was ridden out in the closing stages to defeat Konada in decisive fashion.

"Sunly had come on a lot from her first run, but she has not fully bloomed yet so it was most encouraging to win again," commented trainer Francis Graffard. "Christophe [Soumillon] felt that the rain-softened ground didn't help and that faster ground would be to her liking. He is also convinced that one-and-a-half miles will be her best trip, so all this naturally leads to the [1st June] Gr.3 Prix de Royaumont next.

Sunly is the fourth of six foals and one of three scorers out of multiple Graded-winning Gr.1 E P Taylor Stakes second Suffused, herself kin to four stakes performers headed by Gr.1 St Leger winner Logician (Frankel). Suffused is also a half-sister to the dam of dual Gr.1 Diana Stakes heroine Whitebeam while her stakes-placed dam Scuffle is a half-sister to sires Cityscape and Bated Breath (Dansili).