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Prix de L’Abbaye - Sunday 2nd October 2011 

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Tangerine Pulls Up Trees in Prix de l'Abbaye
02/10/11

1 Tangerine Trees 198/10
2 Secret Asset 38/1
3 Sole Power 13/1
15 ran Distances: snk, nse, 1l
TIME 55.53s (fast by 1.27s)
Jockey: Tom Eaves
Trainer: Bryan Smart

Tangerine Trees led all the way under Tom Eaves to capture the Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp for the Bryan Smart team.

Tangerine Trees
© Racehorse Photos

Tangerine Trees

The six-year-old (14-1), last in the King's Stand but a winner at Beverley on his most recent start, always travelled sweetly in the Group One contest and the post came just in time as the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Secret Asset crept ever closer to finish second.

Unlucky horse of the race was Eddie Lynam's Sole Power, who had an enormous amount of ground to make up but flew through the closing stages to grab third spot in a tight finish.

Smart was not present, but the Thirsk-based trainer, whose only other Group One triumph was with Sil Sila in the 1996 French Oaks, said: "It's fantastic. I can only seem to do it in France for some reason!

"This horse has so much speed and that is how he wins his races. He was flicking his ears in the last furlong and I thought he still had a bit left.

"It's great for the horse and the owners and I must thank everyone in the yard as after he won his Group Three at Newmarket, he had a niggly back problem and everyone has been great."

A delighted Eaves, registering his first top-level success, added: "It's brilliant - I can't really believe it at the minute. He's progressed all the time and to win, that is just the icing on the cake.

"I knew he was very quick, but he got there very easily and I just tried to hang on to him for as long as I could and kick for home then. To win a first Group One is very special."

Chapple-Hyam said of runner-up Secret Asset: "I'm absolutely thrilled. He's run a colossal race. He might have been a massive price, but at least we've been competitive. I would think he will go to Dubai for the Carnival now."

Keagan Latham, rider of Sole Power, said: "As small as he is, he's as tough as nails and when I eventually got out he absolutely flew home." Lynam added: "We were possibly a shade unlucky in running. This was supposed to be his last race of the year but after a run like that we'll have a think about it now."

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