WHEN Jean-Claude Rouget woke up in Deauville on Tuesday morning, he had the premonition that it was not going to be his day and by late afternoon on the racecourse his worst fears had come true.

His crack colts Almanzor and Brametot, both hot favourites and multiple Group 1 winners, were a shadow of themselves in their respective races and neither looked like taking a part in the finish.