Bell powers to landmark triumph
Michael Bell travelled to France and completed a career milestone as Allied Powers provided him with his 1000th training success in the Grand Prix de Chantilly.
Some 21 years on from taking out his training licence at Fitzroy House in Newmarket, the former assistant to Paul Cole moved into the four-figure winner league with the Group Two victory.
Allied Powers was completing a French double after his recent Longchamp win and the improving 7-2 chance picked off his four rivals from the back of the pack for a length call under Ioritz Mendizabal.
Bell said: "That is our 1000th winner and it is a nice way to do it.
"He has given me my first winner at Chantilly and also my first at Longchamp, so he is an absolute star and is getting better and better.
"We will consider the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud or possibly the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot."
Joanna quashed any stamina doubts held by connections as the French 1000 Guineas third landed the Group Two Prix de Sandringham.
But the mile race failed to provide compensation to the disqualified Pouliches winner Liliside as the filly was a moderate fifth after a slightly interrupted passage.
Joanna on the other had enjoyed the run of the race with Christophe Soumillon pressing for home at an early stage aboard the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained 11-4 chance, and the partnership stayed on best of all for a two-length defeat of Kali.
Despite being a daughter of Derby winner High Chaparral, owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager, Angus Gold, had cast doubt on her ability to stay a mile and even after passing this test a return to shorter may be on the cards.
Gold said: "She definitely didn't stay at Longchamp, but we rode her differently today, she sat handy and took it up early in the straight.
"Christophe said she would have no trouble coming back in trip, but we need to consider if we give her a go in a Group One like the Falmouth (over a mile at Newmarket).
"We're not saying she doesn't stay, but she has plenty of speed."
Planet Five caused an upset in the Prix du Gros-Chene when scoring under Christophe Lemaire with red-hot favourite Marchand D'Or finishing fast and late in third.
The back-to-form July Cup winner came with his customary late burst but found the line coming too soon and was beaten a little over half a length.
Eddie Creighton's Piccadilly Filly belied her 16-1 starting price and was just a short head back in second.
Pascal Bary's 10-1 winner put in a much-improved effort in the five-furlong dash and is now a possible to join the summer festivities at Deauville in August.
The four-year-old is owned by Niarchos family, whose racing manager Alan Cooper said: "She is out of Six Perfections so it is nice to continue the bloodline.
"She is a Group Two winner now so the programme is limited but we will think about the Prix Maurice de Gheest."
Sheikh Mohammed missed a crack at the Prix Du Jockey Club after Simon de Montfort's withdrawal but he was still on the mark as Lady's Purse (6-1) struck in the Prix de Royaumont.
The Alex Pantall-trained filly completed a hat-trick in great style under Jockey Club-winning rider Maxime Guyon after being beaten on her only start in 2009 when trained by Saeed bin Suroor.
"She's a filly on the up and she won well on the ground," said Pantall.
"She's a lovely filly and I've known since the day that she won her maiden that she was good."
