Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard (left)

Deauville review: Group 1 win for Samangan, Behike and Distant Storm impress

Horse Racing

Sun August 09, 2026 · 2d ago

Samangan bounced back to form in the ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest - Fee - En Memoire de Louis Romanet.

A winner of three of his four juvenile starts, Samangan (8/1) had been beaten in all four starts this season, finishing sixth in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and fourth in the Prix Jean Prat on his two most recent starts.

Francis Graffard was rewarded for having another crack at Group 1 company with the Aga Khan Studs owned colt who raced in behind the early pace set by Afandy.

The Aidan O'Brien trained True Love was never far away in a tightly bunched field but was unable to show the requisite turn of foot when the tempo really quickened inside the final 250 metres.

Division, representing William Haggas and James Doyle, had finished third in the Commonwealth Cup but over raced in the first half of this contest and then needed the gaps to appear in the closing stages. Division flew home once in the clear but couldn't reel in the eventual winner, finishing second with Stolen Kiss in third.

The winning distances were just a head and a head with Take Charge Star three quarters of a length away in fourth for Johnny Murtagh and True Love another head back in fifth.

Samangan was ridden by Mickael Barzalona who went on to complete a double for himself and Graffard when Shiri (10/1) denied Washington Heights in the listed Prix du Cercle with 15/8 favourite Regional disappointing in sixth.

Samangan strikes in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest! 🏆🇫🇷@AgaKhanStuds | @GraffardRacing pic.twitter.com/p3orpxIslf
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 9, 2026

We knew he was absolutely spot on

Princess Zahra Aga Khan was asked on Sky Sports Racing about the Aga Khan Stud's success in the sprint division and said: "That was not expected and it was certainly not a thing of the past.

"My great grandfather had sprinters, my father didn't like them. Adding back some speed, we can now build up to classic distance and we protect our classic distance families as well. Certainly for the moment having some sprinters and middle distance horses is lovely.

"I thank Francis and Mickael, they had a plan for this. Well, it's not that we had a plan for this race but when we talked about it before the race, Mickael knew exactly where he wanted to be and who he wanted to follow and he did exactly that. The horse then showed his turn of foot and that was fantastic. He did what we knew he could do in the mornings that wasn't showing in the afternoons.

"I don't think we've won the race for a very long time and I wasn't around so I'm not entirely sure [if Aga Khan Studs has won the race before]."

Racing manager Nemone Routh added: "We knew he was absolutely spot on. Mickael worked him earlier this week and said he's never been as good this year as before this piece of work. All the signs were that this was going to be his day.

"He wasn't right at the beginning of the year. He tested positive to the same thing that Daryz did after Ascot and it took him a while to get back to the form that he was capable of. He was [fancied for the Guineas] but then we got this test back which is why we didn't go.

"I'm really chuffed, he's a lovely horse, very genuine and Mickael rode the perfect race on him as well. We're really proud to have him. I think he's better on good or firm ground and you can't lead with him so if it got too soft we wouldn't go to Ascot for Champions Day.

"He's a relaxed horse and he can get seven but we've won our Group 1 now and he's a gorgeous looking horse by Blue Point so I think he's going to find his way to a stallion book someday!"

True Love for Australia

Aidan O'Brien was at the Curragh to watch Sun Goddess win the Phoenix Stakes and was asked on Racing TV about whether he'd had a chance to speak to Wayne Lordan about True Love.

"Wayne was very happy," he replied.

"He probably would have preferred them to go a bit stronger early, they didn't go mad early and then they started quickening from halfway. She got a little bit flat when they quickened initially but then kept coming.

"It was a good run from here and obviously when they're coming back from a mile it just makes it all that little bit more tricky.

"She has options. She could go to York, back to seven - that would be a quick turnaround but we'll see how she is - but if not she would probably end up in America, she could even end up in Australia at the end of the year for the seven furlong race in Sydney on slowish ground so she has a lot of options.

"I think he wasn't disappointed with her run too much."

In front where it matters! 🔵

With no Bow Echo or Gstaad in their way, Distant Storm and @loughnane_billy swoop to success in the Group Three Prix Daphnis at Deauville... 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/eIThJl9Um1
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 9, 2026

Distant Storm had earlier justified 4/6 favouritism for Charlie Appleby and Billy Loughnane in the Prix Daphnis - Jockey Club Argentino (Arg).

Distant Storm started the season in fine form, finishing third in the 2000 Guineas before going one place better in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh and was dropped to Group 3 level for this, his first start since May.

Grand Son Of Dark made a bold bid to steal the race but was cut down late on by Distant Storm and Loughnane who said: "I ended up a little bit further back than ideal, he was a little bit sleepy jumping from the gate.

"The pace was even throughout which was ideal; popped him out at the top of the straight and having a target to run at was great. He's a horse who doesn't do too much once he's there so having a target to aim at was good and he won cosily in the end.

"I always knew at the top of the straight that he's a horse who has a nice turn of foot, takes a little bit of time to pick up but when he does he's electric to the line and I was pretty confident that I had everything covered. He was in fantastic form coming into today and something was really going to have to step up to beat him.

"He's a horse who's now relaxing super. He got a little bit keen in the early days of his two-year-old career but he's racing behind the bridle and I think an extra couple of furlongs won't go amiss."

Impressive! 👀

Behike shows bags of speed to land the Listed Prix Moonlight Cloud at Deauville... 🇫🇷@GScottracing pic.twitter.com/dUKUhHU1ew
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 9, 2026

Behike was backed as though defeat was out of the question in the Prix Moonlight Cloud - Hipodromo de San Isidro (Arg) and didn't disappoint those who helped send him off the even money favourite.

Trained by George Scott for Al Shaqab Racing and Amo Racing, Behike was having just the seventh start of his career.

He won a maiden and novice before being stepped up to Group 1 company for the Commonwealth Cup where he finished eighteenth at 33/1. That Royal Ascot run didn't leave a mark as he returned to the Berkshire track to finish a close second in a handicap in July and took another step forwards here.

Stepped back up in class to listed company for this six furlong [1200 metre] heat, he showed a really smart change of gear in the closing stages to pull right away from the field under Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Moojeed was the next over the line, two lengths in arrears.

Boudot, who was completing a double, said: "He is a strong traveller, he is a lovely mover but how he is walking is quite funny but he has a huge speed.

"He travelled nicely on the way and quickened well without stopping. He's a nice horse, I think he can step up and is an interesting horse over five or six furlongs. He's a big, raw horse and I think he'd prefer good ground, I'm not sure about slow ground."

Boudot was also impressed with Frankel filly Kalimaat who made a winning debut for Andre and Lavinia Fabre and who holds an entry for the Prix Marcel Boussac.

"I think she's a good filly. She showed a really nice change of gear in the last two furlongs. She's a filly to follow. We know the horses from Andre Fabre, they always improve."