Westerner returns to action

Elie Lellouche’s ultra-smart stayer Westerner sets out on the road to the Ascot Gold Cup when tackling the Group Three Prix de Barbeville at Longchamp tomorrow.

The five-year-old proved a revelation last term, capturing the marathon Prix du Cadran on Arc weekend and then proving he was no one-hit wonder by landing the Prix Royal Oak, the French St Leger.

Part of the son of Danehill’s success was put down to the application of ear plugs to keep his mind concentrated on the business in hand.

However, with Dominique Boeuf’s mount likely to come on for his first start of the season, the likely favourite is Alain de Royer Dupre’s Le Carre.

The six-year-old will be race fit after two runs with the last a Listed win at Maisons-Laffitte, with the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Foreign Affairs just over two and a half lengths back in third.

Paul Cole sends Swing Wing over for the one-mile-seven-and-a-half-furlong contest with top provincial rider Ioritz Mendizabal in the saddle.

A Listed winner in France last summer, Swing Wing then ran against Westerner at Deauville with a nose splitting the pair in the latter’s favour.

Swing Wing seeks to become the first since Mark Johnston’s Double Eclipse in 1996 to bring the prestigious prize back to England.