Line Of Duty shows grit and class to land Group spoils for Buick

His dam Jacqueline Quest famously lost the 1,000 Guineas in the stewards' room but Line Of Duty did the family proud in the Group 3 Prix de Conde at Chantilly on Monday, bravely going through a gap at the furlong marker and putting the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Until that point William Buick had been trapped in a pocket by fellow Godolphin challenger Syrtis and the front-running El Ingrato.

"I was always comfortable in the rhythm he was in but we all know on this track it can be a tricky spot to get out of," said Buick. "They didn’t go overly hard and he had to be brave but he knuckled down well and would have been a very unlucky loser."

A product of the detente between Godolphin and Coolmore – the son of Galileo was a 400,000gns buy at Tattersalls Book 1 last year – the Charlie Appleby-trained Line Of Duty holds an entry for the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy, formerly the Racing Post Trophy, at Doncaster.

Buick said: "I was really pleased to see the way he quickened – he did that in his maiden at Goodwood too and has an attitude to die for. He's progressed this year and there's no reason why that will stop."

The Listed Criterium de Vitesse also went to a Newmarket-trained horse, with the Michael Bell-trained Poetry dispatching her rivals under a confident ride up the stands' rail from Maxime Guyon.

Rockin Roy battled on well to hold second ahead of Dancing Warrior and Blame Roberta for a British clean sweep of the first four places.

Winning owner-breeders Trevor and Elizabeth Harris confessed to a certain level of surprise.

Poetry with owner-breeders Trevor Harris (second left) and Elizabeth Harris (right) of Lordship Stud and jockey Maxime Guyon.Credit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

"Her mother Swiss Diva loved France and won three times here," said Trevor Harris.

"Michael has always liked her and she was working with Pretty Pollyanna early on. He told us he didn’t think there was so much between them.

"When Pretty Pollyanna won her Group 1 I thought maybe there was plenty between them but he and his team have done a fantastic job."

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