Frankie Dettori just edges it on Loving Dream in Royallieu thriller

Loving Dream showed determination to battle back and nab Believe In Love in a nail-biting conclusion to the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu.

Andrea Atzeni looked to have timed his challenge just right on Believe In Love after Frankie Dettori, rider of Loving Dream, had cut out the pace for most of the 1m6f trip, but Lordship Stud's homebred fought back in the final strides to add to her Royal Ascot success earlier in the season.

"She may not have been 100 per cent at York and she never got into that rhythm she usually does in her races and wasn't able to put her best foot forward then," said Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of the winner. "She's enjoyed getting her toe in a bit more here.

"Frankie is a genius from the front, as he always tells us, and luckily today he was able to show us."

Atzeni was understandably disappointed to be edged out close home but hugely proud of the way Believe In Love put a poor performance at Goodwood behind her.

"Beforehand if you'd said I would finish second I'd have been happy, but when you're beaten a short head in a photo-finish it's hard to take," said Atzeni.

"The filly loves soft ground and although she's not the biggest she's got a massive heart. She disappointed for some reason at Goodwood but I think she's a better filly in the autumn."

It's just like the old days as Frankie Dettori wears the Godolphin blue alongside Saeed Bin Suroor in Longchamp's winner's circle following Real World's Prix Daniel Wildenstein successCredit: Edward Whitaker

World still on the rise

Earlier on the card Dettori linked up with Saeed bin Suroor to ride Real World, who continued his remarkable rise through the ranks to take the Prix Daniel Wildenstein.

"He's never run on ground this soft but we let him take his chance," said Bin Suroor. "He's versatile between a mile and a mile and a quarter so I'll talk to Sheikh Mohammed. It's more than likely we'll take him back to Dubai.

"Champions Day is too close but we might see if he handles the dirt – he could be a World Cup horse."

The Revenant was a fast-finishing second in a race he has twice won and Francis Graffard confirmed he would return to Ascot to defend his QEII crown as long as he came out of the race in good shape.

Doyle's memorable day

James Doyle enjoyed a memorable afternoon, landing the Cadran on Trueshan and opening proceedings with a win in the Prix Chaudenay on the unbeaten Manobo for Charlie Appleby.

Dubai Honour (striped cap) completes a clean sweep of Longchamp's Saturday Group races - and a treble for James Doyle - in the Prix DollarCredit: Edward Whitaker

Doyle got the treble up on the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, who swept past his rivals to land the Prix Dollar in the style of a Group 1 horse.

"I found it difficult to assess his chances because I felt the race in Deauville [the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano] set up for him a bit," said Doyle. "We went far too fast that day and it suited closers.

"But you couldn't knock that performance. I was a little bit in two minds from that draw but I decided to be brave and just hang on. There was never really a moment's worry."

Asked if a first-day treble filled him with confidence ahead of the ride on Hurricane Lane in the Arc, Doyle added: "It all helps doesn't it? We all know Longchamp can be a difficult place to ride winners and to bounce into tomorrow with a spring in your step is great."

Dubai Honour races in the colours of Mohamed Obaida, and racing manager Philip Robinson felt a trip to the Longines Hong Kong Cup in December is a possibility for the three-year-old.

Results and analysis

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