WEDNESDAY’S top-class Assumption Day fixture at Deauville saw the resurrection of the career of Knight To Behold, many people’s idea of a leading classic contender before his 11th-place finish in both the English and Irish Derbys.

Given a clock-in-his-head front-running ride by Oisin Murphy, this Neil Jones-owned and -bred son of Sea The Stars never saw another rival in the hugely valuable Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain over a mile and a quarter.

Having held a clear lead all the way up the home straight he was still four lengths to the good passing the winning post.

Problems with flights meant that his English trainer, Harry Dunlop, was unable to be in attendance as he celebrated much the most lucrative result of his 11-year career. His wife, Christina, proved a most able deputy, driving the box from Lambourn and then, aided and abetted by their youngest son, William, saddling the 23/1 outsider.

The victory was sweet reward for Mrs Dunlop, who leads Knight To Behold on the four-mile round trip to the gallops every morning to stop him from misbehaving.

Speaking by phone afterwards, her delighted husband said: “Oisin gave him a super ride and he was left to do what the hell he wanted in front, but I don’t believe he needs an uncontested lead, I just think that he doesn’t stay a mile and a half.

“At Epsom he was pretty keen having been taken on very early but he ran a much better race at the Curragh, Frankie Dettori was pleased with him, he just said that he didn’t stay.

“I put cheekpieces on him as some members of his family, in particular Millenary, who wore blinkers, have needed a bit of help to make them concentrate.

“We may consider supplementing him for the Champion Stakes, though that is a lot of money. There is also the Prix Dollar and even the Prix du Moulin is a possibility – I wouldn’t be frightened to drop him back to a mile, especially in France where they may go a bit slower.”

Study Of Man rusty

WHILE Sunday was a red letter day for the Niarchos racing organisation, they came back down to earth 72 hours later when their Prix du Jockey-Club hero, Study Of Man, could manage no better than third as the odds-on favourite for the Guillaume d’Ornano, two lengths behind Patascoy, who had been half a length behind him when also second at Chantilly.

Trainer Pascal Bary felt that Study Of Man was rusty and, having taken a fair while to find his stride, ran like a horse who needs a longer trip.

Rather than the Irish Champion Stakes (his initial post Jockey-Club target), Study Of Man is now set to run in the Prix Niel, where he will likely again face Patascoy before the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Fabre double

THE Arc is also on the agenda for last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, Talismanic. He was racing on grass for the first time in over eight months, beat his six rivals by two lengths and more in the Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club, completing a Group 3 double on the card for trainer André Fabre, earlier successful in the Prix de Lieurey with Wind Chimes.