Ahmed Mouknass and Pandora Stud's Lucayan (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}) entered yesterday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains under the radar, but had his head in front when it mattered at the end of a messy and dramatic renewal of the French Classic, which was marred by the fatal injury sustained by third-place finisher Furner's Green (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}). Despite showing quality when winning the Listed Prix Aymeri de Mauleon at Toulouse Apr. 27, Lucayan lacked form of any real weight and was largely ignored by the Parisians at 27-1. Needing all of the straight to get to the freewheeling pacemaker Veneto (Fr) (Panis), the bay finally managed to get in front yards from the post and had a short neck to spare over that 92-1 shot, with the late-closing Furner's Green the same distance away in third. After the line, that Ballydoyle raider suffered a catastrophic fracture of his right-fore and had to be euthanized. "I believed in him today and he is improving all the time," the winning trainer Francois Rohaut explained. "He is very brave, tough and genuine like his sire, who I also trained."
Sunday, Longchamp, France
POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €450,000, Longchamp, 5-13, 3yo, c, 1mT, 1:37.11, gd/sf.
1--@LUCAYAN (FR), 128, c, 3, by Turtle Bowl (Ire)
        1st Dam: La Vltava (Ire), by Grand Lodge
        2nd Dam: Lavanda (GB), by Soviet Star
        3rd Dam: One Life, by L'Emigrant
(€17,000 wnlg '09 ARQDEC; €85,000 2yo '11 ARQMAY). O-Ahmed Mouknass & Pandora Stud LLC; B-Jean-Pierre Colombu; T-Francois Rohaut; J-Stephane Pasquier; €257,130. Lifetime Record: 5 starts, 3 wins, 2 places, €308,430. *1/2 to Karluv Most (Fr) (Della Francesca), Ch. Stayer-Spn, MSW-Spn. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 

2--Veneto (Fr), 128, c, 3, Panis--Milanaise (Fr), by Marignan. O-Simon Springer; B-SCEA Plessis; T-Bruno de Montzey; €102,870.
3--Furner's Green (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dylan Thomas (Ire)--Lady Icarus (GB), by Rainbow Quest. (50,000gns RNA yrl '10 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd; T-Aidan O'Brien; €51,435.
Margins: SNK, SNK, NO. Odds: 27.00, 92.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Amaron (GB), Gregorian (Ire), Dabirsim (Fr), Coupe de Ville (Ire), Beauvoir (Ire), Dragon Pulse (Ire), Nutello, Telwaar (GB), Vault (Ire). Click for brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree or Racing Post chart.
   Lucayan started his racing late and was making an unusually low-key debut for a future Guineas winner when winning over 7 1/2 furlongs on Pau's fibresand in December. Nosed out of a first Polytrack score in a mile conditions event at Saint-Cloud Mar. 3, he continued his education when returning there to be second again behind Coup de Theatre (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}) 24 days later in the Listed Prix Omnium II on his first turf start. Taken to Toulouse for the Apr. 27 Listed Prix Aymeri de Mauleon, he bested his stable companion Azeville (Ger) (Shamardal) in that mile heat and the latter had given a boost to the form minutes earlier when finishing a creditable sixth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Kept away from the rail and out of trouble by Stephane Pasquier early, the bay, who sports cheekpieces, was in sixth as Veneto established a clear lead carrying out pacemaking duties for the 4-5 favorite Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick {Jpn}). As Lucayan was beginning to wind up at the top of the straight, Christophe Soumillon found a dead end on Dabirsim up the fence, but there appeared no excuses for the market leader afterwards. Veneto was continuing to give Thierry Thulliez everything up front and, despite matters getting tight on the bunched run to the line, Lucayan stayed straight and true to inch ahead, as the ill-fated Furner's Green made up significant ground to make the frame.
   For Lucayan's conditioner Francois Rohaut, the subsequent inquiry brought back unhappy memories of losing the Pouliches in the stewards' room two years ago with Liliside (Fr) (American Post {GB}). "The fact that we lost the fillies' race makes this one special," he said. "He only had his first run in December, so this gives me great pride. I could see when he was in contention at the top of the straight that he would go close. He is in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club [at Chantilly June 3], but we also have Hard Dream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for that, so I think we'll pass with this horse. He could be supplemented for the G1 St James's Palace S. [at Royal Ascot June 19], but we'll take our time to think about it as there is also the G1 Prix Jean Prat [at Chantilly July 1]."
   Aidan O'Brien was on hand to give the details of Furner's Green's injury. "He broke his off-fore and he had to be put down," he told PA Sport. "Joseph [O'Brien] is okay--when a horse goes down at that speed, it could have been much worse."
   Trainer Christophe Ferland was not too downcast over the eclipse of the eventual sixth Dabirsim and pointed to a drop back to sprinting with Simon Springer's star. "He was slightly unlucky early in the straight, but still had every chance, and so now it is obvious that he doesn't stay," he explained. "He is in the G1 July Cup [at Newmarket July 12], but we could wait for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville Aug. 5]."