THERE was a British one-two in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte last Saturday when Hello Youmzain, a son of Kodiac owned by Jaber Abdullah, took the six-furlong Group 2 contest.

Ridden by Kevin Stott, the Kevin Ryan-trained colt was ridden to lead over a furlong out, and despite drifting to rails, was strongly driven and kept on well to win the £95,840 first prize by two and a half lengths from the William Haggas-trained Queen Of Bermuda, with Legends Of War (Robert Havlin/John Gosden) back in fourth place.

AUTEUIL

The Auteuil meeting on Sunday saw some of the big names in jump racing reappear ahead of the big November meeting, and there was a great finish to the Grade 3 Prix Heros XII Chase where the Prix la Haye Jousselin Chase winner and top chaser Milord Thomas was beaten by the favourite Saint Goustan Blue in a good battle to the line. Kevin Nabet was on board the Guillaime Macaire-trained gelding in the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

The Grade 3 Prix Carmarthen Hurdle) was won by the Irish-bred Galop Marin, also owned by Madame Patrick Papot. The son of Black Sam Bellamy came home a length clear of Titi De Montmartre

Fasek scoops Velka Pardubicka

JAN Faltejsek partnered Tzigane Du Berlais to victory in the historic Velka Pardubicka over the marathon 4m2½f trip at Pardubice in the Czech Republic last Sunday. The seven-year-old son of Poliglote stayed on best to land the famous cross-country chase for trainer Pavel Tuma.

British rider Thomas Garner looked like claiming a famous triumph when taking the lead on Stretton in the home straight but finished third. Hegnus provided the closest challenge to the winner in second.

Winning rider Faltejsek is familiar for his association with Knockara Beau, who he rode in the majority of his races, and who Big Buck’s in the 2014 Cleeve Hurdle.

There were 20 runners and nine failed to complete the course including Leighton Aspell’s mount Vajgaros, who was a faller on the first circuit.

Andrew Glassonbury and James Best were also part of the quartet of British-based pilots who made the trip across Europe.

Glassonbury and Best completed the course in ninth and 11th respectively.

The race was won by a Czech-trained horse for a 13th successive year, and the winner is a half-brother to Gitane Du Berlais, who won the Grade 1 Scilly Isles for Willie Mullins in 2015.