THERE was a big success on the international stage for Irish-trained horses on Sunday in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, in which the Aidan O’Brien-trained Circus Maximus crossed the line a nose ahead of the Ken Condon-trained Romanised, though the former was arguably fortunate to keep the race in the stewards’ room.

What we can garner from the times and sectionals is that the Moulin was far and away the quickest of five races at 1600 metres on the card, though that is what could be expected to a large degree, and that the race was pretty close to well-run, with the winner’s finishing speed at 102.9%.

Olmedo in fourth and Phoenix Of Spain in fifth were never dangerous and should have finished a bit closer, but the right two horses came to the fore. Circus Maximus and Romanised both get 121 time-based ratings. This was a decent Group 1, and a fairly solid piece of form, without being spectacular.

Of the two juvenile Group 3s at the same trip, the filly Savarin (98 rating) ran faster overall in winning the Prix d’Aumale than Ecrivain had done in winning the Prix des Chenes, but the latter gets boosted considerably on the back of late sectionals to 109. This race is sometimes a guide to the Prix Jean Luc-Lagardere at this course and distance on Arc Day.

The successes at Belmont on Saturday of Edisa for Alain de Royer-Dupre and Spanish Mission for David Simcock makes you wonder why more did not chance their arm from this part of the world.

Edisa had not won a group race previously, though she had been placed in two, and took the $750,000-added Jockey Club Oaks by running to 109 according to Timeform. Spanish Mission, last seen finishing third to Nayef Road in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, got up on the line to win the $1m-added Jockey Club Derby on the same card.

The trip was a bare minimum for Spanish Mission, and Timeform have him running to 110 compared to a peak of 117.

Without wishing to detract from either success, there are dozens of horses in Britain and Ireland who might have done similar, so credit to the connections of these two for showing such enterprise.