Policy Of Truth a big player for French Guineas in more ways than one

Classic trials day at Longchamp frequently throws up as many questions as answers but, while connections associated with the fillies that fought out a blanket finish to the Prix de la Grotte can keep dreaming for another month, Policy Of Truth and Sealiway separated themselves from the pack ahead of the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas).

The imposing Policy Of Truth and Maxime Guyon got the better of the argument in the Prix de Fontainebleau and it is a small miracle that Pia and Joakim Brandt were able to win a Group 3 with him at two, given his size and scope.

"It's extraordinary that he has such a turn of foot given his size and he was a very big yearling, which is why I was able to buy him for very little," said Pia Brandt. "Even when you lead him around, he knows he is big and strong and will try and dominate. You have to work with him, not fight him, and so Max has come and galloped him once a week for the last five weeks."

Sealiway bolted up in last season's Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on very different ground to the quick surface he encountered on Sunday, and while Brandt confirmed she had Policy Of Truth pretty straight for his comeback, Frederic Rossi felt there would be more to come from his charge in May, when he will have half a length to find with the winner.

"He was a bit free early on and then took a breather at the wrong moment before getting his second wind and coming home well," said Rossi. "It was a very good comeback run and he gave Christophe [Soumillon] a good feel."

The place to be after the Grotte was the television screen outside the weighing room, as multiple trainers and owners watched back the race, all hoping that a finish where half a length covered the first five gave plenty of encouragement to return for the Pouliches.

Run almost exactly four seconds slower than the race for colts half an hour later, it was Cirona and that man Guyon who came out on top for Christophe Ferland, building on the pleasing impression she left when second to Rougir in the Group 3 Prix des Reservoirs at Deauville last October.

"She is not the biggest and so quite easy to get ready but even so I think she'll step forward from this," said Ferland. "They didn't go any pace so the jockey slid across from the outside draw and took them along and while she has the speed for a mile, I think she'll get 2,000 metres [a mile and a quarter]."

King's Harlequin looked set to be swallowed up before battling back to be beaten two heads in third, splitting the fast-finishing pair of Silvestri and Sweet Lady, while even sixth-placed Rougir is not out of calculations, given she was stuck behind a wall of horses and never got to engage top gear.

In Swoop was one of the attractions of the day in the Listed Prix Seymour and, conceding 3lb all round, the Arc runner-up ran a perfectly satisfactory race to be beaten three-quarters of a length by the race-fit Sublimis.

In Swoop and Ronan Thomas head out for the Prix Lord Seymour at LongchampCredit: Racing Post/Scott Burton

In Swoop's trainer Francis Graffard said: "He has matured a lot physically and he came there travelling easily but then showed at the end he was in need of the run. It was a good comeback and if all goes well he will come back here in three weeks for the Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville."

Sublimis was tried at two and a half miles in the Prix du Cadran last year and Andre Fabre will now have the choice of sticking at middle distances or trying him again at staying trips.

Winning rider Mickael Barzalona said: "He is a lovely horse and is getting better with age so it's great to win a Listed with him."

Longchamp results

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