British and Irish raiders were out of luck in the Prix Royal-Oak as Double Major defended his title with a gutsy performance.
It was Alan King’s Trueshan who led the field along, with Double Major never far away from the pace – and it was Christophe Ferland’s high-class stayer who came to the fore when the field straightened for home.
The four-year-old soon had Hollie Doyle and Trueshan covered entering the closing stages and although Andre Fabre’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fifth Sevenna’s Knight briefly threatened and kept on for second, it was Double Major who was firmly on top at the finish of the Group One event. Trueshan finished the best of the raiding party, coming home in third.
It was a welcome return to form for the winner who disappointed in the Prix du Cadran last time having headed into the race in search of a hat-trick
His trainer told Sky Sports Racing: “He won the race in Longchamp last year but this was in Saint-Cloud. I had no worries about changing track.
“Of course in the Cadran he didn’t do well but the jockey respected him when he felt the distance was too long. He pulled back and knew there was this race three weeks later which was his target too.
“He did very well today and I am really pleased and very proud of him. The lads are doing a great job at home and we are finishing the year with the last Group One and we won it, so it’s perfect.”
He went on: “We will probably go to Dubai with him and he goes in any ground.
“Last year we made the mistake of returning him to the stud for winter and he enjoyed his holiday too much. He lost all his muscle and it was hard to bring him back to form. He came back over the summer in the Maurice de Nieuil and now he’s hit top form.
“He is going to stay at home and will do some hacking around and probably lead the babies as well. He will stay in the stables for the winter and I think we will prepare him for Dubai.”
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