A remarkable season for Naana's Shadow and Katie Scott got even better with Group 3 success in France on Sunday.
The Prix du Petit Couvert has been used as a stepping stone to Prix de l'Abbaye glory in the past and the market expected that to be the case for Rayevka.
Runner-up in a Group 1 at Royal Ascot and a close fifth in the Nunthorpe Stakes, Francis Graffard's mare was sent off at odds-on for this five furlong contest but couldn't match the pace shown by Naana's Shadow.
Not even the habitual trailblazer Ponntos could match the early speed of Tony Piccone's mount who won with something to spare at 8/1.
Shiri was second with Rayevka a never nearer third.
Naana's Shadow was winning for the fifth time this season with the first coming in handicap company off just 72.
It was a first group race success and a first runner in France for Scott who told paris-turf.com: "When you see her win like that, we'll obviously be back for the Abbaye.
"She had races in the UK, but at tracks that didn't suit her, whereas we suspected that the Longchamp profile would suit her perfectly, and it did. She has a lot of scope, and she's very fast."
Graffard, who trained both the second and the third, said: "Shiri ran really well. She's a filly with a lot of speed. She put in a very good performance.
"As for Rayevka, I felt she was a little tired. Perhaps her race at York was still weighing on her. I found her a little less sharp – to her credit, the race was very fast and it was difficult to make up ground – but even so, when she came back, she didn't come back the way we like to see her accelerate.”
Both fillies may, however, still take their chances in the Abbaye with Graffard continuing: “Both fillies are quite dependent on good ground, so I'm remaining cautious about the Arc weekend.
"On the other hand, we don't have much to lose, and there aren't many 1,000-metre [five furlong] races like this. So, we'll see."
Michael O'Callaghan's hat-trick seeking Bamako Beach was made favourite for the Dubai Racing Carnival Prix du Pin.
However, the Irish 2000 Guineas seventh gave rider Pierre Charles Boudot a torrid time in the straight.
Bamako Beach appeared to cock his jaw, wanting to hang to his left and despite Boudot's best efforts, ended up finishing last having drifted most of the way across the wide Longchamp straight.
Meanwhile, Fort Payne (8/1) ran on straight and true under Christophe Soumillon to take the Group 3 prize.
Daryzan, a half-brother to Daryz, was made to look rather one-paced by Phineas (10/11 favourite) in the Prix du Prince d'Orange.
Phineas is trained by Andre and Lavinia Fabre and is on something of a roll having now won his last four starts.
A gelded son of Lope De Vega, Phineas had finished third behind Daryz in June 2025 which turned out to be his final start of that season.
Returning to action in April, he won by an easy three and a half lengths and proved just as impressive in gaining a pair of listed successes and he took this step up to Group 3 company in his stride, winning by a ready three and a half lengths once again.
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