Pierre Bonnard looked a horse with Classic potential in running out a stylish winner of the Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes at Newmarket.
Aidan O’Brien’s Camelot colt arrived on the back of a win at Dundalk and was the subject of heavy support in the market.
He was sent off the 6-4 favourite and having been keen through the first furlong, Christophe Soumillon dropped him back to the rear of the field to get some cover and he soon settled.
As the field fanned out three furlongs from home there were almost five in a line with Spyce, Look To The Stars, Allegresse and Endorsement, a stablemate of the winner, all in with a chance.
But when Soumillon brought Pierre Bonnard up the rail with his challenge the race was soon over.
O’Brien said: “He’s a lovely big horse and he’s still a baby who does everything easy at home.
“We’ve always liked him a lot and he’s a very big horse, he’s only going to improve.
“He was a little green, but Christophe was very happy with him and he’s a very straightforward horse. He’s going to improve over the winter and when Wayne (Lordan) won on him last time at Dundalk he loved him.
“I think he’ll be a Derby trial horse and we’ll go from there, but I imagine as a physical he is going to really do well over the winter months.
“We’ll get through the winter, but he’s a big, straightforward cruiser and he can handle both a tight track, having been round Dundalk, he’s nimble obviously, and fast ground which is lovely.”
Soumillon has never won the Derby, but would have no qualms about saying ‘yes’ if he got the invitation to take the mount at Epsom in June.
He said: “He was so nice in the paddock and looked amazing and moved so well down to the start.
“I was really confident he would jump out of the gates fast and Aidan asked me to give him a nice experience and get some cover, so I was very happy to stay behind Wayne on the runner-up (Endorsement) and when I started to ask him to pick up at the four-furlong marker he changed gear really easily.
“He quickened so well and won easily and he should be a great horse for next season. I’m very lucky to ride such great horses and he is another top two-year-old in the yard.
“He still had plenty of power after the line so I’m sure he will be some horse next season.”
Damysus continues forward momentum in Darley Stakes
One-time Derby hope Damysus won the first Group race of his career with an ultimately cosy success in the Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes.
John and Thady Gosden’s Wathan Racing-owned Frankel colt was placed in two Classic trials in the spring and headed to Epsom with many thinking he would be capable of running a big race.
He finished last of 18 there, though, and was given a long break to get over those exertions before returning with a Listed win in France last time out.
Settled in fourth by James Doyle, he gradually made his ground near the centre of the track before edging over to challenge Gladius in the final furlong. Doyle did not have to get too serious for the 2-1 shot to take the Group Three prize by three-quarters of a length.
Damysus struck gold for Wathnan Racing at Headquarters
John Gosden said: “His only blip this year was in the Derby when he kicked the back gate out of the stalls and rather nastily injured his back legs. He had a lot of cuts that needed patching up and he looked like he had done 15 rounds with Joe Frazier.
“So the Derby was a bit of a disaster, but we put him away and he came back to win well at Deauville in the Prix Nureyev and has won nicely again today.
“He’s a grand horse and went over to France last weekend to run in the Prix Dollar, but when it rained it was too soft and all he ended up doing was have a good lunch and nice dinner and then came back on the train.
“He actually missed a piece of work last weekend as all he was doing was eating and drinking in France, but he enjoyed the journey and we whipped back here which was the right thing to do.
“I think he could be a nice horse and I think we could head to Sandown to start him off next season over 10 furlongs in the Gordon Richards, I can see the races for him now and we’ll see if he can come up the ladder.”
He added: “There is the Bahrain International Trophy and the owners might want to go there, but we will see. I wouldn’t be surprised if it came on the radar. He’s a great mind on him and maturing and strengthening all the time and everything is possible.”