G3 Prix Hocquart

Bouncing back from a disappointing effort when fifth in the G3 Prix Noailles, Starspangledbanner's Rafale Design returned to ParisLongchamp to stamp his class on Thursday's G3 Prix Hocquart. Sent off at 12-1 for the 11-furlong contest, having backtracked on his smart juvenile form last month, Laurent Dassault's colour-bearer was restrained by Christophe Soumillon following a smart break to track the moderate pace. Full of running at every stage, the colt that Yann Barberot described as his "best" took control approaching the furlong pole before asserting for a smooth 1 1/4-length...

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 17:13, PRIX HOCQUART-G3, €80,000, 3yo, 11fT Field: Asmarani (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}), Zekret (Zarak {Fr}), Zarakchic (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Rafale Design (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Maupassant (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Duty (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Golden Weaver (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Lifetimes (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Lazio (Ger) (Make Believe {GB}), Avide (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Connections of last year's winner Calandagan are back with their G1 Grand Prix de Paris entry Asmarani, who could be ridden positively given that has already proven he stays further than this at Saint-Cloud...

Providing a boost to TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Westerberg's First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) mastered his peers in Thursday's G3 Prix Hocquart at ParisLongchamp. Runner-up to Pascal Bary's G1 Prix du Jockey Club-bound colt in the Prix de Ferrieres conditions event over just short of this 11-furlong trip at this track last month, the 9-2 shot was settled in third early under cover on the rail by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. Getting a gap on the fence to storm to...