FRENCH raiders took the recent All-Weather Championships by storm and the run continued at Kempton on Saturday as 7/2 co-favourite Hunaina landed the Listed Betfred `Home Of Goals Galore’ Snowdrop Stakes over a mile.

A well-contested race for fillies, the Snowdrop often attracts talented French and German challengers. Soon taking up a position just behind the leaders as Lucymai ensured a brisk gallop, Hunaina burst between horses for Alexis Badel and quickly went clear to beat Shenanigans and Soul Silver by just over two lengths and a neck. The placed horses came home in good style.

Hunaina, a four-year-old by Tamayuz, was owned by the Aga Khan and trained by Mick Halford until recently. Busy as a three-year-old, when she won twice for Pat Smullen, she joined up-and-coming French trainer Henri-Francois Devin, who was saddling his first winner in Britain.

Devin has Irish connections because his mother Antonia hails from Co Kildare. His father Henri is the latest in the family to run the famous Haras du Mesnil stud near Le Mans.

The younger Devin worked under André Fabre for two years before setting up on his own. He has had several group winners and also sent over Al Johrah to finish second to Lady Aurelia in the 2016 Queen Mary Stakes.

A Momentofmadness, a natural five-furlong sprinter, followed up last year’s victory in the Betfred Mobile Handicap. Allowed to start at 11/4 with recent conqueror Tomily on 5/2, he was quickly away for William Buick and led by a couple of lengths turning in before Jumira Bridge closed to within three-quarters close home. Tomily was a well-held third.

A Momentofmadness is an admirably consistent sprinter and was ridden to perfection by Buick, who used his early pace to set up a winning lead. The horse was also 5lbs better off with Tomily, having recently finished a good third to him.

Charlie Hills will no doubt campaign him in the valuable sprints over the minimum trip on turf but, as last year, the important thing was to secure this valuable all-weather contest with fitness at a premium.

BUICK DOUBLE

Buick made it a double on Godolphin’s Bathanna, who proved seven lengths too good for Dance Me in the four-runner Betfred Fillies’ Conditions Stakes over a mile.

The colts’ conditions stakes over the same trip went to John Gosden’s 4/6 favourite Kings Shield, unbeaten in two outings for Qatar Racing Limited.They went no great pace but Kings Shield stayed-on easily the best for Oisin Murphy and accounted for One Cool Daddy, another son of Scat Daddy, by just under two lengths.

“I was pleased with that,” Gosden said. “We’ve been thinking about the French Guineas and I’ve got time to get another race into him before then.”