Tally-Ho bred Miss Yechance lands Prix de l'Abbaye

The Tally-Ho bred Miss Yechance turned in an explosive front-running display to land the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp for Karl Burke.

Taking on older horses, the hardy 3yo filly showed her customary blinding pace to assume a prominent position and despite being pestered throughout, had enough in reserve to fend off the late challenge of the Mehmas filly Shiri.

"I've never had a feeling like that, there's no words to describe it really but she does everything herself, I'm just the lucky lad who gets to sit on top of her," said jockey Jack Nicholls.

"Personally, I feel like I don't do a whole lot on her, I just try and keep her as happy as I can and she does the rest.

"I'd by gutted if I couldn't keep it (the Nicholls name) going so obviously grandad and dad (Adrian) were class with sprinters, grandad won this with Continent so it's a dream come true.

"It's great for the yard as well, we had a bad day yesterday losing Fallen Angel so she might have been looking down and helped us that last 50 yards. It's very special. I'm delighted to get it done for Karl and everyone back home."

Now in the ownership of Al Leith Racing, Miss Yechance came into Longchamp having won the Group 3 World Trophy at Newbury. A tough two-year-old last season, she was also a winner at Meydan in the winter.

Assistant trainer James Cowley told ITV Racing: "We haven't had her that long really, in terms of training-wise. She came to us from a season out in Dubai last winter. She had a win and a couple of places out there, she ran over all distances, five, six, seven furlongs, turf, dirt - so she's hardened and she's versatile.

"We brought her into training after a break and a freshen up, she went to Royal Ascot and didn't disgrace herself. It was probably at Royal Ascot we thought we might have a very, very fast filly on our hands so we just played things a bit different with her and picked our races and she's just progressed, progressed and today's the pinnacle."

She becomes the second winner of the Prix de l'Abbaye for Cotai Glory following fellow Tally-Ho bred The Platinum Queen. She was bred by us out of Rosie Bassett, a winning Wootton Bassett relation to Group 1 winner Jemayel and bought out of our draft at the 2024 Goffs Premier Sale by Ellie Whitaker on behalf of Bacon & Lovatt.