Porcelaine gets an early break in useful-looking maiden at Chantilly

It would seem very early in the year to be thinking of Classics but several with the right sort of breeding made a bright start in the Prix du Rond du Manege at Chantilly on Saturday.

Porcelaine, who made all the running under Stephane Pasquier, is from a family her trainer Fabrice Chappet as her half-sister Precieuse gave him a milestone victory in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches of 2017 before moving on to the Chad Brown stable in the US and adding another Grade 3 event.

This latest two-year-old, bred by Knocktoran Stud out of Listed-placed Pivotal mare Zut Alors, is by Kodiac and also a half-sister to very useful sprint handicapper Baccarat.

She was making her debut in the colours of Cotton House Bloodstock in what looked a decent little newcomers event over a mile of the all-weather.

Breaking sharply, she always looked to have the race in control, but that should not take anything away from the similarly promising effort from the Sebastien Jesus-trained Princesse Ilia, who tracked her all the way around and was just over a length adrift.

The Charm Spirit filly - bought for €43,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale in 2018 - is a half-sister to Sudan, the son of Peintre Celebre who landed the Gran Premio di Milano in 2007 and was third to Rail Link in the Grand Prix de Paris in the preceding year.

More to read...

Not So Sleepy provides his owner-breeders with best of Flat and jumps worlds

Stallion career beckons for Tiger Roll's half-brother Austrian School

Irish St Leger winner Sans Frontieres relocated to Vauterhill Stud