Mare relishes longer trip

Twenty four hours after Desert Crown's impressive victory at Epsom, it was the Jean-Claude Rouget trained Vadeni who produced an equally convincing display in the French equivalent at Chantilly on Sunday. A colt by Churchill, he had won a Group 3 over nine furlongs on his previous start but showed plenty of improvement over an extra furlong in the Prix du Jockey Club. Taking control in the homestraight, Christophe Soumillon's mount pulled clear to win eased down by five lengths. The runner-up El Bodegon had beaten the winner in Group 1 company at Saint-Cloud last backend but had no answer to Vadeni here. There must be every chance the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp (14th July) will be on the agenda for the Aga Khan owned winner before he is presumably prepared for the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in October.

Earlier on the card, Mare Australis advertised his own claims for the Arc when appreciating the return to a mile and a half in the Group 2 event. A former winner of the Group 1 Prix Ganay, the five year old missed the remainder of last season due to injury before returning in the spring. Fourth behind State of Rest in the same contest last month, he was running over twelve furlongs for only the second time here and relished it. Given a positive ride by Olivier Peslier, he battled on strongly when tackled before lengthening away to record a two lengths win. Ease in the ground is considered important to Andre Fabre's five year old and that will dictate his programme between now and the Autumn. Highlighed as a horse to follow in the Appendix in Ahead On The Flat, his next target could be the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (3rd July).

Knight of Honour (3/1) supplied AOTF with another winner when scoring by two and a quarter lengths at Goodwood. Featured in the Maidens In Waiting section, the John and Thady Gosden trained three year old had shaped well at both Yarmouth and Leicester during the spring. Appreciating the step up to a mile and a quarter for the first time at the Sussex track, Rab Havlin's partner struck the front approaching the furlong marker before running on strongly to register a comfortable success. Rated 82 beforehand, he ought to be one to follow in valuable ten furlongs three year old handicaps this summer.