Reliable Man takes Prix du Jockey Club prize

Aidan O’Brien’s Roderic O’Connor and Godolphin hope Casamento were unable to sustain their challenges as Alain de Royer-Dupre’s Reliable Man took the glory in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

Roderic O’Connor was in search of a Classic double having won the Irish 2,000 Guineas a fortnight ago, while Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Casamento was aiming to repair his reputation after a disappointing display in the Guineas at Newmarket.

Frankie Dettori soon had the latter at the head of affairs, with Roderic O’Connor not far away in the hands of Ryan Moore.

The pair of them were still bang there turning for home but faded tamely in the straight and finished in the midfield.

Reliable Man was ridden more conservatively by Gerald Mosse but quickened up well once straightened up for home, finishing strongly down the outside of rivals to claim Bubble Chic close home.

The strongly-fancied Baraan ran an incredible race to get up for third.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s colt was very slowly away and was tailed off at one stage, but finished with a real rattle to grab a place, looking an unlucky loser.

Stan James cut Reliable Man, who was having just his third start having not seen a racetrack until April, to 12-1 from 33-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The same firm also slashed Baraan to 8-1 from 20s for Longchamp glory.