Godolphin's Romantic Style sets up Guineas date back in France after scoring in Deauville Classic trial

Romantic Style got the better of Ramatuelle at the end of a Prix Imprudence which turned into a two-furlong sprint, leaving trainers Charlie Appleby and Christopher Head with Classic dreams intact, although their fillies appear destined not to contest the same version of the 1,000 Guineas next month. 

Winner of a Yarmouth novice and the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes at Newmarket last autumn, Romantic Style tracked Tamfana in the testing ground and, while Aurelien Lemaitre was last to ask Ramatuelle for her effort, the Godolphin filly was always just holding sway under William Buick. 

Appleby said: "William said she was fresh and travelled sweetly in his hands. But she did it all the right way round. She did travel but she did it sensibly in behind a horse and then when she picked up I always felt she was doing enough to stay in front. 

"She has natural pace in her pedigree but she does give herself a chance to be able to stay a mile. Coming back for a French Guineas will be our aim and that will be her maximum trip. But if she’s going to do it anywhere, we feel this is the right place to be doing it."

While Appleby may be following conventional wisdom in sending a suspect miler to Longchamp – Romantic Style will need to be supplemented for the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches – Head may have inherited his father's view that Newmarket requires speed.

Following her first try in excess of six furlongs, Ramatuelle was pushed out to 20-1 (from 12) by Coral for the Guineas, although Head felt the daughter of Justify was unsuited by the run of the race.

"Today the rhythm of the race was important so the filly could settle in behind and so the lack of pace didn't help us," said Head. "She's made a good start to the season and she showed she stayed the trip as she did all her best work at the end despite pulling early on. We'll stick with the plan to go to Newmarket."

Ramatuelle remains on course for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas after finishing second at Deauville

Tamfana also ran an eyecatching race in what may prove to have been an above-average edition of the Group 3, with David Menuisier impressed she was only beaten half a length. 

"She's been beaten by two speed horses and when they challenged, she took a big gulp of air before really sticking with it," the trainer said. "I wouldn't swap my filly and while the Prix de Diane is her main target, she'll take in either the 1,000 Guineas or the Poule first."

Menuisier also had to settle for third in the Prix Djebel, in which last year's Futurity runner-up Devil's Point betrayed his lack of a run behind Keran and Lazzat, who bounded clear to make it four wins from four starts this year.

Lazzat continued the excellent form of trainer Jerome Reynier and provided Antonio Orani with a first Group winner in France

In doing so he gave Italian-born Antonio Orani a first Group success in France, while trainer Jerome Reynier continues to ride the crest of a wave. 

"I'm not sure I learned a lot because I know he has a lot of natural speed and that's why I didn't want to step him up past 1,400 metres [seven furlongs]," said Reynier. "He'll now go for either the Prix Paul du Moussac or the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot; I really want to keep him in that rhythm.

"I'd love him to get a lead one day but you can't restrain him or allow the race to unfold at a false pace. It's fine making all but I think we'll have to consider running a pacemaker for him at some stage. He was looking around a bit there but I think he'll improve in terms of maturity with time and racing."

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