WHAT a wonderful day of quality racing on Sunday as the Aga Khan Studs sponsored the entire card at Deauville. The feature was the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, and any worries that the race would lose appeal due to the defection of both Bow Echo and Gstaad proved to be unfounded, as less than a length covered the first three home. The winner was a homebred by the Aga Khan Studs.

Multiple Group 2 winner and the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes-third Zeus Olympios was best of the older generation in second, half a length ahead of the four-time Group 1 winner Precise, but they had to give best to another member of the classic generation, Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains-French 2000 Guineas victor Rayif (Sea The Moon). He gave the Aga Khan Studs a first victory in the race since Kalamoun in 1973, and he too had won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains. This rare double was last achieved by the Lagardere-bred Vahorimix in 2001.