Dinos bags Longchamp prize

Paul Cole’s St Leger fifth Mr Dinos was the star of the show in the French equivalent, the Prix Royal-Oak, at Longchamp this afternoon.

The progressive three-year-old led home a British 1-2 as John Gosden’s Sulk, trying the near two-mile trip for the first time, came in second, beaten two and a half lengths.

Morozov emerged best of the French in third, but was demoted to sixth after a stewards inquiry found Andre Fabre’s runner guilty of hampering Terrazzo.

The decision left Clety, ridden by Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Thierry Thulliez, inheriting third, with Bernimixa fourth and Terrazzo moved up to fifth.

This was a gutsy and impressive performance by Mr Dinos, who was scoring for the second time in France having won a Group Three at Vichy in July.

Just as he had done at Vichy he led from the front under Dominique Boeuf for whom this was a first success in the all-aged Classic.

Boeuf rode a canny race, and turning into the straight gradually wound his mount up knowing that his nearest challenger Sulk had a question mark in terms of stamina.

The going, 4.8 or heavy, was ideal for Mr Dinos.

Cole observed: “We wanted to come here to try him on the soft going and it worked out really well.

“He stays in training, and should be a better horse next season as I’d expect him to strengthen up over the winter.”

French champion Boeuf reflected: “I was always pretty confident, to finish fifth in the St Leger meant he had a big chance here. I accelerated progressively from the front and the plan worked out.”

Big disappointment was Richard Gibson’s Cut Quartz, third in the Prix Cadran on Arc weekend, but last of the seven runners this time.

Mr Dinos was wining the €150,000 Royal-Oak for England for the first time since the 1994 victory of Barry Hills’ Moonax.