Weld left to wonder what might have been

DERMOT Weld kicked off what could turn out to be a magical week as Famous Name was agonisingly denied by a diminishing head in the Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly yesterday.

With Vodafone Derby favourite Casual Conquest and leading Juddmonte Oaks candidate Chinese White set to contest the British Classics at Epsom, the Curragh handler came close to the best possible start.

Unfortunately Pat Smullen’s mount was drawn out in stall 17 and the wide start for the Khalid Abdullah-owned colt played its hand in the outcome, with Vision D’Etat getting first run from his inside draw and just holding on.