Staff Writer |
Classic trials day at Longchamp frequently throws up as many questions as answers but, while connections associated with the fillies that fought out a blanket finish to the Prix de la Grotte can keep dreaming for another month, Policy Of Truth and Sealiway separated themselves from the pack ahead of the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas).
The imposing Policy Of Truth and Maxime Guyon got the better of the argument in the Prix de Fontainebleau and it is a small miracle that Pia and Joakim Brandt were able to win a Gr.3 with him at two, given his size and scope.
Sealiway bolted up in last season's Gr.1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on very different ground to the quick surface he encountered on Sunday, and while Brandt confirmed she had Policy Of Truth pretty straight for his comeback, Frederic Rossi felt there would be more to come from his charge in May, when he will have half a length to find with the winner.
Run almost exactly four seconds slower than the race for colts half an hour later, it was Cirona and that man Guyon who came out on top for Christophe Ferland, building on the pleasing impression she left when second to Rougir in the Gr.3 Prix des Reservoirs at Deauville last October.
King's Harlequin looked set to be swallowed up before battling back to be beaten two heads in third, splitting the fast-finishing pair of Silvestri and Sweet Lady, while even sixth-placed Rougir is not out of calculations, given she was stuck behind a wall of horses and never got to engage top gear.
In Swoop was one of the attractions of the day in the Listed Prix Seymour and, conceding 3lb all round, the Arc runner-up ran a perfectly satisfactory race to be beaten three-quarters of a length by the race-fit Sublimis.