WHEN Jean-Claude Rouget woke up in Deauville on Tuesday morning, he had the premonition that it was not going to be his day and by late afternoon on the racecourse his worst fears had come true.

His crack colts Almanzor and Brametot, both hot favourites and multiple Group 1 winners, were a shadow of themselves in their respective races and neither looked like taking a part in the finish.

English runners had a field day. The visitors picked up two of the three group events, a listed race and a claimer. Horses sired by Frankel were first past the post in two group races, which was timely as 10 of his offspring are in the Arqana August Sale today.

A major public holiday crowd turned out for the excellent racing. Almanzor reappeared in the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club but he never fired in the straight and dead-heated for last place nearly a length behind his pacemaker, Zafiro. The game winner was the Chris Wall-trained First Sitting who was given a fine ride by 50-year-old Gerald Mosse.

Settled behind Zafiro early on, First Sitting kicked for home early in the straight before holding off the consistent Garlingari by three-quarters of a length. It was yet another victory for a gelding and one which is still improving. The son of Dansili was reversing La Coupe Longines form with the runner-up and winning his first group race.

Wall said: “The ground was too firm when he ran at Chantilly. We were expecting second place and were even giving weight to Almanzor but you never know what can happen in a race. First Sitting is difficult to pass once he’s taken the lead and is brave. We might send him to Turkey (Anatolia Trophy on polytrack September 2nd) and will have a look at the Prix Dollar.”

Garlingari will head for the Grand Prix de Deauville, according to Corine Barande-Barbe. Rouget was very philosophical after his first disappointment of the afternoon. Almanzor was in the quarantine barn after an outbreak of equine herpes earlier in the season and then had setbacks which led to him missing earlier targets so the colt was racing for the first time in 10 months.

“It’s impossible to bring a horse back to such a high level after such a long break. He had an amazing three-year-old career. Horses aren’t like a Formula 1 cars which can have their engines changed when something goes wrong.

“Last year one should remember his race at Leopardstown (Irish Champion Stakes) where he beat some of the best horses I’ve ever seen. There’s no plan for the moment. I must speak with his connections. When I got up this morning, I felt it was not my day. I was right!”

The stewards asked Christophe Soumillon for an explanation of the running and he told them that Almanzor lacked competition.