Deauville is the site of hugely exciting German import Matilda for her French debut as she tackles her elders in the Group 1 Prix Rotschild of 2025 for new trainer Francis-Henri Graffard on Sunday, 3 August. Purchased by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm operation after beating the boys in the German 2000 Guineas, big things are expected of the three-year-old Solider Hollow filly.
Females running against colts in Classics has become a rarity in modern times. That’s because there are fillies only races as part of the European Pattern designed to crown champions of their own sex. Previous connections of Matilda weren’t daunted by taking on the boys, however, and she stormed to an impressive six-and-a-half-length success in Cologne.
She now faces an even bigger field of horses of her own gender on the Normandy Coast. Three-year-olds receive a 7lb weight for age allowance from their elders in the Prix Rothschild, so that helps Matilda with her claims of following-up. Half-a-dozen others from the young generation go as well with half of them trained in Ireland.
Aidan O’Brien has won the race twice before and saddles January and Exactly. Christophe Soumillon rides the former with both previously contesting the Coronation Stakes during Royal Ascot this summer. January has improved with every run this season, bettering her third with second in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July Festival.
Exactly went over to France earlier in the campaign for their 1000 Guineas at Longchamp, but couldn’t match her fourth behind Zarigana when only sixth in the Coronation. It would appear, then, that January is Ballydoyle’s first string over the Prix Marcel Boussac third. Both fillies have seen the Coronation form franked when winner Cercene chased home Whirl in the Nassau Stakes during Glorious Goodwood this week.
Gosdens Run Spiritual at Deauville Again
Last of the Irish raiders in the Prix Rothschild of 2025 is Donnacha O’Brien filly Atsila. A daughter of Phoenix Of Spain, she actually beat Cercene earlier in the season, but hasn’t reproduced that effort since with disappointing displays in the Irish 1000 Guineas and Falmouth.
Breaking: The French 1000 Guineas appeal has been dismissed and Zarigana keeps the race over Shes Perfect pic.twitter.com/M1mvmaTBdZ
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 21, 2025
Graffard, meanwhile, also has Princess Zahra’s French 1000 Guineas third Mandanaba for the Aga Khan Studs. She didn’t stay when fourth in the Prix de Diane last time. Completing the three-year-old brigade in this line-up are Prix de Sandringham scorer Godspeed for the Lerner stable and James Fanshawe’s Pina Sonata, pitched right in at the deep end.
John Gosden is no stranger to success in big Group races in France like this. Now sharing the licence with son Thady, their powerful Newmarket yard joins O’Brien senior in running two in the Prix Rothschild of 2025. Spiritual has been to Deauville before, but could only manage sixth in a Group 3 last summer.
This obviously demands a lot more from the four-year-old Invincible Spirt filly, but she returns to Normandy off the back of Epsom success in that grade. Joining Spiritual in the line-up is Duke Of Cambridge heroine Crimson Advocate. Her Group 2 triumph during the Royal meeting confirmed the impression that she’s a miler, not a sprinter.
Softer ground in Deauville might blunt American import Crimson Advocate’s speed, however, and she wasn’t able to follow-up in the Falmouth when third and behind January. Big-spending Qatari owners Wathnan Racing also have Karl Burke four-year-old Fallen Angel engaged.
She won the Irish 1000 Guineas last season and ran out of stamina when fourth in the Prix de l’Opera on the Arc card. Fallen Angel finished in front of re-opposing rival Start Of Day then, but hasn’t looked so good this season so far.
Prix Rothschild 2025 Shortlist & Verdict
G2 Coolmore City Of Troy German 2000 Guineas (G2) over 1600m at Cologne🏆
3yo – Group Race – 125.000€
🥇MATILDA f by SOLDIER HOLLOW
🥈CIARAN c by VAN BEETHOVEN
🥉DHITJARI c by MEHMADMATILDA is bred and owned by Volker Käufling, trained by Yasmin Almenräder and was ridden by… pic.twitter.com/Wy70onjEa6
— Deutscher Galopp (@DeutscherGalopp) May 18, 2025
Based on what we know about the Anglo-Irish challenge and home team, there might be even more to MATILDA than her sexy profile. She’s the clear pick of Graffard’s three runners and fancied by leading horse racing bookies in the UK with Mandanba representing the best of the French Guineas form here and Pinta not looking anywhere near good enough.
Against a bunch of older fillies with questions to answer, January also has claims on her proximity to Cercene, compared with Atsila who hasn’t demonstrated improvement yet and stable companion Exactly. The latter has big-race experience in France, but must step up on those efforts. On softer ground, Fallen Angel could emerge as best of the four-year-olds on this occasion.
