The Irish filly Meditate failed to make an impact on Sunday’s Prix Jean Prat where the outsider Good Guess led home a French clean sweep in the Deauville feature.
At 40-1 odds it would have taken a very good guess indeed to identify the winner of the Group One highlight beforehand, but the Stéphane Pasquier-partnered colt ran out a comfortable winner from Sauterne, with Breizh Sky in third.
The English Guineas winner Chaldean started a hot favourite for the straight seven-furlong event for three-year-olds but proved a bitter disappointment in seventh.
Meditate tracked Chaldean in the early stages only to find nothing when asked by Ryan Moore and finished with only one behind her.
Pasquier reported greater maturity was crucial to the Fabrice Chappet-trained winner and added: “I always like to ride him close to the pace but today he was slow from the gate. But today was a straight race and I had plenty time to choose my place and that helped me a lot.”
Best of the international raiders was Karl Burke’s Indestructible, who finished fourth but subsequent bookmaker reaction to the final Group One contest of the weekend focused on Paddington going odds-on for next month’s Sussex Stakes.
The Ballydoyle star landed Saturday’s Eclipse in good style at his first start past a mile and Aidan O’Brien subsequently indicated he could drop back in distance at Goodwood.
A former O’Brien star Giant’s Causeway successfully managed that feat back in 2000 and Paddington was described in “unusual” terms by his trainer.
“I suppose the surprising thing about him is the progress he is making from race to race. He is getting more confident, he is getting stronger, mentally and physically.
“He is getting more professional, and it is amazing what he is doing. We didn’t intend on coming here, but he was a lot heavier today, two weeks after running at Ascot, which is very unusual.
“He came out of Ascot in a very unusual good way. There are always outliers, there are always special horses – that is the way it is. There is no rule, because horses do different things, but it is very surprising what he is doing.,” O’Brien said.
Monday’s domestic action is a National Hunt card in Roscommon where Willie Mullins sends three starters.
Coole Cherry should be hard to beat in the bumper, and of the Mullins pair in the novice hurdle, Williamstowndancer looks to hold clear claims.
