Benoist and Barberot dreaming of Classic success as Fast Raaj bursts through

It's not often that a jockey will scream with delight crossing the line after a Classic trial but Gregory Benoist was unable to contain his excitement after delivering 14-1 shot Fast Raaj with a last-to-first charge to land the Group 3 Prix Djebel over 7f.

In doing so, he ran down the well-backed Pimento and set the son of Iffraaj up for a crack at the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) on May 16 at Longchamp.

Benoist said: "I was astonished in one way because there were some horses in there who had super years at two but in another way I wasn't because he ran a great comeback and I knew he would prefer the turf."

Deauville-based winning trainer Yann Barberot has steadily improved the quality of his string in recent years and was able to celebrate a well-executed plan after giving Fast Raaj a pipe-opener in a Chantilly all-weather Listed race over 6½f.

"This was his objective and he ran a good prep race the other day," said Barberot. "They went very fast from the start and that was a big advantage. He was only 70 per cent that day and I told Gregory to be sure not to give him a hard race.

"He showed today he can settle in behind and I'm pretty confident he'll stay another 200 metres."

Pimento ran well to be beaten a neck having hit the front under Mickael Barzalona, while last year's Criterium International runner-up Normandy Bridge stuck to his task well in fourth over an inadequate trip and will be worth following when tried in excess of a mile.

There was a similar surprise result in the fillies’ trial, the Prix Imprudence, with Christophe Soumillon guiding Reina Madre through traffic to score by a short neck from Sky Angel.

Another 14-1 chance, she continued the excellent early season form of trainer Mauricio Delcher Sanchez, who was only sent the daughter of Kingman in the new year.

A Listed runner-up at Bordeaux in October, Reine Madre could then finish no better than fourth at Madrid's La Zarzuela on her final start for Alvaro Soto Loring.

"She is a filly with a lot of quality and I felt she had the scope to improve," said Delcher. "She has only been with me for about two and a half months. As you can see she hasn't yet come fully in her coat and I think she can progress.

"We'll see but she will probably take her chance in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches."

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