THE favourite Tac De Boistron landed a back-to-back victory in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp last Sunday even though his preparation for the stayer’s contest had not gone exactly to plan.

Trained by Marco Botti at Newmarket and ridden with precision by Martin Harley, the grey seven-year-old held on well to beat the Prix du Cadran hero High Jinx by a length with Narrow Hill in third. He was a nose in front of the consistent Irish mare Pale Mimosa who had been in fourth place virtually throughout the 15 and a half furlongs.

With Ryan Moore away in Australia, James Doyle had the leg up on High Jinx and the pair took control of the race soon after the field settled down.

The pair quickened things up two out and were then tackled by Narrow Hill and Tac De Boistron at the furlong marker. The winner was not flat out but a point of note was the way that High Jinx ran on again to pinch second place on the line.

Pale Mimosa was given every chance by William Buick but she did not quite have the pace to go with the others in the final stages.

Tac De Boistron was running for just the third time since his previous victory in the Royal-Oak last year.

He began the season with an effortless victory in the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and did not quite let himself down when runner-up in the Sky Bet Yorkshire Cup in May and that was his last race until his nearly unique double which he shares with Amilynx (1999/2000) and Westerner (2003/2004). The latter went on to win the Ascot Gold Cup at York in 2005.

Botti said after the Royal-Oak: “He damaged a rib while having a roll earlier in the year and had only been doing a lot of cantering before this race which has always been the main target.

“He hadn’t had much of a preparation for the race so it’s a credit to the horse. The ground (very soft) was right and we got away with it. That’s it for this year and even at seven he still appears to be improving.

“The Gold Cup is Ascot would be a target but the ground is often on the fast side. The main objective is to come back here and win another Royal-Oak. He’s a true champion!”

For many years, Tac De Boistron was under the care of Alain Lyon at Maisons-Laffitte but the gelding changed hands after he won the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil in 2012. He was sold to the Australians and sent to Michael Kent but the project never worked out as the horse was unplaced in the Goolong and Melbourne Cup which were both run on good ground.

Tac De Boistron was then sent to Botti and given a nine and a half month rest. He has never been out of the first three since and continues to excel when there is cut in the ground.

In 2010, Lyon also had Gentoo under his care. He won both the Prix du Cadran and Royal-Oak. He finished ninth in the Group 1 Tenno Sho in Japan the following year and never recovered from the journey and the race. He did win a minor conditions race at Saint-Cloud in 2012 and was retired the following year.

High Jinx made it an English one-two in the Royal-Oak and there is not a gamer horse in training. His last four runs have been in France where he appreciates the cut in the ground.

Fourth place looked on the cards for him but he rallied again after losing the lead one out to steal second place in the final stride.

James Fanshawe said: “He had a hard race in the Cadran but has kept his form. High Jinx would have been better over longer and was very courageous after a long season when he has never ceased to improve. We will be back in France next for more long distance races.”

Being a French-bred son of High Chaparral, High Jinx took home €114,414 thanks to an owner’s premium of €34,404.