First Sitting does Wall proud as Almanzor flops on return

Chris Wall and Gerald Mosse pulled off a huge upset at Deauville on Tuesday when First Sitting lowered the colours of last year's champion three-year-old Almanzor, who looked a shadow of his brilliant best as he trailed home well beaten.

All eyes were on Almanzor as he made his eagerly awaited comeback after an absence of 304 days but last year’s French Derby, Champion Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes hero was never on terms and when asked to raise his game in the home straight, he found little under Christophe Soumillon.

He eventually finished in a photo for last place, with First Sitting leading home Garlingari and Subway Dancer. Bookmakers reacted swiftly to Almanzor’s defeat, with Paddy Power shunting him out to 20-1 (from 8) for the Arc and removing him from their betting for the Irish and British Champion Stakes.

"If I had had enough gas I would have gone between them but it wasn't there and he wasn't able to accelerate like last year," said a downbeat Soumillon. "He might need more [work] but obviously I am disappointed."

First Sitting on the up

A Listed winner at Goodwood in May, First Sitting headed into the race having been beaten by Robin Of Navan in a Group 3 at Chantilly in June but Wall was confident of a big run, and with good reason.

Despite having to concede 3lb to the odds-on favourite, First Sitting was always to the fore and found generously once Mosse went for home early in the straight, winning with something in hand in the end.

"To be fair, his last two visits to France have been on quite fast ground which is not his bag but on better ground today he’s been able to show what he can do," said Wall. "He’s been training very well at home and we thought he’d come here and give a good account.

"He’s done it well and Gerald has given him top-class ride. He’s a tough horse to peg back once he gets rolling and hopefully the only way is up. They will talk a lot about Almanzor and not a lot about us but that’s fine.”

The Group 2 Prix Dollar on Arc weekend or a trip to Turkey are possible next options for the winner, who returned at 7.8 on the pari mutuel.