There was a Group 1 victory for Leffard in the Cygames Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Sunday evening.
The 16/1 chance, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was stepping up in trip to a mile and a half for the first time having finished way down the field in the Prix du Jockey Club last time.
The son of Le Havre proved his stamina for the trip with a strong late run, wearing down the 4/6 favourite Trinity College in the shadows of the post to win by a short head.
Aidan O'Brien's horse had looked the winner for much of the contest, Ryan Moore striking the front early in the straight having taken a lead off Frankly Good Cen who quickly dropped away.
When he went a couple of lengths clear three furlongs out his rivals looked up against it, but Leffard tracked his run through under Cristian Demuro and showed a swift turn of foot to reel in the Irish raider.
It was an emotional success for Rouget, who has undergone treatment for lymphoma in the last 12 months, and he was visibly overjoyed in the winners' enclosure.
For the Group 3 Hampton Court winner Trinity College it was a narrow short head defeat on his second crack at the top level as he searches for a first Group 1 success.
He went some way to proving he can be effective over a mile and a half, though, and he has further entries over that trip in the King George at Ascot and Great Voltigeur at York in the coming weeks.
Queen reigns for Walker and Shoemark
On the undercard there was a Group 2 victory for Ed Walker’s Qilin Queen (5/1) in the Cygames Prix de Malleret over a mile and a half.
Kieran Shoemark gave the Pinatubo filly a fine ride from the front end, kicking for home early in the straight in what proved to be a race-winning move.
The manoeuvre saw Qilin Queen kick five lengths clear of the hot 1/3 favourite Sunly and while Colin Keane narrowed the gap to a head by the line her effort was too late as Qilin Queen hung on.
It was a welcome return to winning form for Qilin Queen who was last seen finishing eighth of nine in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom.
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