OLIVIER Peslier was again at his best last Sunday in Chantilly, after winning the Hardwicke Stakes on Dartmouth at Royal Ascot, giving the Queen her only winner at the Royal meeting in her 90th year. On Sunday he rode a fine race to take the Group 3 Prix du Lys on the favourite Spring Master after being in the right place at exactly the right time.

The field was reduced to just five after the fancied Maniaco was withdrawn by Andre Fabre. Always well up, Spring Master (Mastercraftsman) took control some two furlongs out and then had to pull out all the stops to hold off the filly Golden Valentine.

He did so by a short-head and Pascal Bary will now aim for the Grand Prix de Paris. “I would have been very disappointed if he hadn’t run well,” he said afterwards. “I am now very happy with Spring Master and impressed by the way he reacted when challenged by the runner up. I think we will have the perfect horse for the Grand Prix de Paris.”

Peslier also praised the horse. “He accelerated and just kept on and replied to everything I asked of him. He is a tough horse,” he said.

GERMAN WINNER

The German visitor Pas De Deux responded well to the urgings of Antoine Coutier and ran on to take the Group 3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil from the well backed Impassable, Sea Front, Stillman and the disappointing odds on favourite, Territories.

The first five past the post were covered by just over one length. Trained by Yasmin Almenrader at Mulheim, Pas De Deux did not deserve to be a 23.3-1 outsider as he had won Group 3 races at Baden-Baden and Munich last year. It was a first group success in France for both jockey and trainer. The six-year-old now has a target of the Meilen Trophy at Dusseldorf on July 17th and he may well come back to France again later in the year.

Impassable was making her seasonal debut and trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias was happy with her efforts. “She’s only been back in training since March and was a little rotund today. We asked her jockey to wait and make her work. The Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket is now on the cards and then Deauville,” he reported.

McGovern lands Chantilly win

THERE was an Irish winner at Chantilly last Sunday when 20-year-old Conor McGovern won the Prix Longines Future Racing Stars race on board Fawley for owner/trainer Ahmid Amezzane. From Clones in Co Monaghan, McGovern is based with Michael Halford and was delighted with his visit to Chantilly. “My horse started well, took a breather round the turn, then accelerated in the straight and stayed on to win in the final stages. It is the first time I’ve won with so many people at a racecourse,” he said.