Graffard sympathy for Shes Perfect connections

Zarigana was awarded the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp after the Charlie Fellowes-trained Shes Perfect was demoted following a stewards’ inquiry.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zarigana had come out narrowly on top when the pair met in the Prix de la Grotte over the course and distance last month and was a hot favourite to confirm her superiority in the French 1000 Guineas.

But just as she had done four weeks ago, Shes Perfect found herself in front from an early stage in the hands of Kieran Shoemark and she had plenty of her rivals on the stretch rounding the home turn.

For a few strides the daughter of Sioux Nation looked like a sitting duck in the straight, but to her credit she kept responding to Shoemark’s urging and while Zarigana came at her fast and late, Shes Perfect passed the post a nose in front.

However, scenes of wild celebration in the winner’s enclosure from Shes Perfect’s owners, the Basher Watts Racing syndicate, proved short lived as Zarigana’s rider Mickael Barzalona posted an objection after the race and following an inquiry, the result was amended.

Graffard told Sky Sports Racing: "Obviously it was a tough few minutes and we don't like to win like this and I feel sorry for the connections of Shes Perfect because they had the joy, but this is sport and this is racing and it has happened to me in the past.

"To be fair, my filly, when she came (with her challenge) she got really unbalanced at the wrong time and in the end it was only a nose.

"It was a decision in the stewards' room, but I'm very happy for this filly especially. There was a lot of expectation and she deserves a win like that. It would have been very frustrating to be second and beaten a nose and for the team at home it's really good.

"It's quite hard to really enjoy it, it's more like relief than proper joy."

Zarigana could now make an appearance at Royal Ascot, with her trainer adding: "We'll have to discuss it, I'm not sure she needs to be stepped up in trip, so if we decide to stick to a mile we'll go to Ascot for the Coronation Stakes with her."

Paddy Power announced they would be paying out backers of both Zarigana and Shes Perfect.

Their spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Punters who are big Kieran Shoemark fans will know the heartache he has endured in the last week and after seeing him apparently bounce back by crossing the line first on Shes Perfect, but then enduring the agony of seeing her placed second behind favourite Zarigana by the stewards, we felt the right and only just thing to do to reward their loyalty was pay out on both wonderful fillies.”