Head aiming high after Lone Peak joins illustrious role of honour

The list of recent winners to emerge from the two newcomers races at Deauville demands that notice be paid to the 2018 graduates, even before you take into account the ease with which Lone Peak and Commes shed their maiden tags.

In the colts' Prix de Montaigu over a mile, Lone Peak was bounced out to lead early by Aurelien Lemaitre but still had any amount in reserve early in the straight, bounding seven lengths clear.

The last three Montaigu winners have been Cloth Of Stars, National Defense (both Group 1 winners) and Wootton.

Trainer Freddy Head did little to hide his admiration for Lone Peak, a son of Lope De Vega who carries the white and emerald silks of owner/breeder George Strawbridge.

"He has a great stride on him and good acceleration. He relaxed when he got to the front today," said Head. "He's a serious horse and I love the way he goes about things. He had done plenty of work before today and was ready for this."

Head has won the fillies' version, the Prix la Reboursiere, with future Group winners Royalmania and Luminate in the last five years, but it was Jean-Claude Rouget who dominated the finish, as Commes drew three lengths clear of stablemate Olympe.

Such a performance would undoubtedly allow connections to dream of a race like the Prix Marcel Boussac, but Rouget is already looking to a Classic campaign in 2019.

"They are both good fillies and the winner is very good so we'll mind them in cotton wool a little this year and look to them as three-year-olds," said Rouget.

"We're not like the British, who look for big performances and precocity at two. Personally I care more about the Poule d'Essai and the Diane for a filly like her."

Rouget added: "They both have that sort of profile though Olympe is a bit more backward than the winner. It's good to give them experience at two, but I already have the good races at three in my sights."

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