MOST eyes at Longchamp on Easter Monday were on Al Kazeem, who returned in the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt. He got the job done, if in rather workmanlike style, and will surely better – and need to better – this faced with more exacting tasks hereafter.

The really interesting finding from the card, however, was that the Prix La Force was the fastest of the five races over the 2,000-metre (10-furlong) distance, and that despite being restricted to three-year-olds. The winner, Silverware, ran 0.45s quicker than did Al Kazeem later, despite carrying 5lb more, and is French Derby-bound after four wins out of four.