Sporting Chance eclipses rivals for Crisford and De Sousa at Maisons-Laffitte

Prix Eclipse (Group 3)2yo | 6f

Sporting Chance ran out a ready winner at Maisons-Laffitte under Silvestre de Sousa on Monday to provide trainer Simon Crisford with a third winner from his last six runners in France.

The son of Kodiac won the Listed Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy at Ripon last time out, having previously run at Group level in the July Stakes at Newmarket and Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.

Sporting Chance proved too strong for the Richard Fahey-trained Space Traveller, scoring by a length and a quarter. Representing owner Abdulla Al Mansoori, Philip Robinson said: "It was very similar to the way he won last time at Ripon, when he was always stuck wide.

"It doesn't seem to affect the horse, he always gallops to the line. I thought a furlong and a half out he had a really good chance because the one thing I knew is that he would see out the six furlongs really well."

An Ascot breeze-up purchase from the renowned Con Marnane, Sporting Chance may have one more run before being put away for the year.

La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte (Group 3)3yo+ | 1m2f[Straight]

Robin Of Navan came close to providing Harry Dunlop with a third individual Group winner of the French campaign but was run down late on by Golden Legend.

The winner was bouncing back from a frustrating run in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet when getting knocked sideways as Rhododendron was pulled up.

On a day he had chosen one of his two disciplinary jokers for the year, Alexis Badel dropped Golden Legend out to get across to the rail and burst through the pack full of running as Robin Of Navan set sail for home.

"We decided together to hide her in behind and Alexis has given her a great ride," said trainer Henri-Francois Devin. "I'm delighted because I really believe she would have been third or fourth in the Romanet."

Dunlop was pleased with the performance of Robin Of Navan, who continues to work his way back to form after a summer break.

"He needed his comeback in Deauville and today I thought we had it but it's a long way up that straight at Maisons-Laffitte and I think he would have won quite nicely over one mile one," said Dunlop.

"It's nice to see him on the way back and they were well clear of the third."

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