British and Irish raiders were out of luck in the Prix Royal-Oak as Double Major defended his title with a gutsy performance for Christophe Ferland and Maxime Guyon
It was Alan King’s Trueshan who led the field along, with Double Major never far away from the pace – and it was Christophe Ferland’s high-class stayer who came to the fore when the field straightened for home.
The four-year-old soon had Hollie Doyle and Trueshan covered entering the closing stages and although Andre Fabre’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fifth Sevenna’s Knight briefly threatened and kept on for second, it was Double Major who was firmly on top at the finish of the Group One event. Trueshan finished the best of the raiding party, coming home in third.
It was a welcome return to form for the winner who disappointed in the Prix du Cadran last time having headed into the race in search of a hat-trick.
His trainer told Sky Sports Racing: “He won the race in Longchamp last year but this was in Saint-Cloud. I had no worries about changing track.
“Of course in the Cadran he didn’t do well but the jockey respected him when he felt the distance was too long. He pulled back and knew there was this race three weeks later which was his target too.
“He did very well today and I am really pleased and very proud of him. The lads are doing a great job at home and we are finishing the year with the last Group One and we won it, so it’s perfect.”
He went on: “We will probably go to Dubai with him and he goes in any ground.
“Last year we made the mistake of returning him to the stud for winter and he enjoyed his holiday too much. He lost all his muscle and it was hard to bring him back to form. He came back over the summer in the Maurice de Nieuil and now he’s hit top form.
“He is going to stay at home and will do some hacking around and probably lead the babies as well. He will stay in the stables for the winter and I think we will prepare him for Dubai.”
Twain meets with O’Brien approval in Saint-Cloud strike
Twain entered the Classic picture for next year with an impressive display in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.
Aidan O’Brien’s son of Wootton Bassett was sent off at 28-1 when making a real impression on debut at Leopardstown only eight days previous and put his name in the conversation for next year’s biggest races after proving that was no fluke, successfully supplemented into Group One company.
With Christopher Head’s unbeaten French hotpot Maranoa Charlie failing in his bold bid to win from the front, it was the Irish raiders, and in particular the O’Brien family, who dominated the conclusion to the race, with Twain leading home stablemate Mount Kilimanjaro (second) and Joseph O’Brien’s Apples And Bananas (third).
O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing: “He only ran eight days ago, but we always thought he was highly rated. We ran him last week just in case what happened could happen, so we had to give him a chance as we knew there was only one Group One left and we saw there what he did.
“He’s obviously a very good horse and Ryan (Moore, jockey) said he was very green. Ryan said he jumped very smart and then he just let the lads lead him and he went to sleep. He just ended up getting there too early on him and was very green when he got there.
“He’s a Wootton Bassett once again out of a very good Montjeu mare – Wading was a very good mare herself. We’re delighted and well done to the lads for doing it. It was a bit call from them to do it (supplement) with a horse only winning a few days ago.
“He’s a very good mover and points his toe – he hasn’t got a rounded grabby action and if you see him he has a low action. He obviously has a big engine, but’s he’s still a baby and I was watching him going to the start with Ryan and he was ducking at the cones and I thought maybe this is too much for him.
“There’s only one Criterium, there was only one race left and it was great to have him here to run.”
Following Twain’s rapid rise he was handed a quote of 14-1 by Paddy Power for next year’s 2000 Guineas, while Unibet go further and make him an 8-1 chance for the opening Classic of the summer.
O’Brien continued: “He’s a quick horse and obviously a Guineas horse. We’ll wrap him up for the winter now.
“Everyone at home did a great job to get him here and Ryan gave him a beautiful ride and minded him as much as he could and taught him as much as he could as well. I’m delighted.”
There was plenty to celebrate for the O’Brien family in the Paris suburbs, as son Joseph claimed the other two-year-old Group One on the card – the Criterium de Saint-Cloud – thanks to Tennessee Stud.
The Beresford Stakes runner-up relished the step up to 10 furlongs and in the testing conditions his stamina came to the fore to run down Charlie Johnston’s Green Storm who had attempted to make all the running.
O’Brien said: “I’m delighted to win a Group One with another son of Wootton Bassett and he’s a really tough colt.
“Dylan (Browne McMonagle, jockey) said he was really labouring in conditions most of the race and it is a testament to his attitude he was able to fight all the way to the line and win the race.
“I think he was really struggling in the going but his attitude and will to win got him there eventually.
“He’s a very exciting horse for the future. He is probably a middle-distance horse as you expect and I imagine he will be trained with Derbys in mind next summer.”
There was no joy for David Menuisier’s Sirona in the Group Three Prix Perth as Andre Fabre’s Alcantor took the first prize, but the Sussex-based Frenchman enjoyed a one-two in the Prix Belle de Nuit as the Oisin Murphy-ridden Entrancement led home stablemate Panthera.
