Billy Loughnane rides fourth winner in a week for Charlie Appleby with Guineas-placed Distant Storm back with a bang at Deauville

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Dual Classic-placed Distant Storm returned from an early-summer break to stamp his authority on the Group 3 Prix Daphnis under a well-judged ride from Billy Loughnane. 

Not seen since finishing runner-up to Gstaad in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in mid-May, Distant Storm made light of his 78-day absence, sweeping past his rivals to score by a length from Italian challenger Grand Son Of Dark, with daylight back to the rest.

With most of Europe's trainers coping with parched turf gallops and water restrictions, Charlie Appleby admitted Godolphin are in a fortunate position compared with the rest of his Newmarket rivals. 

Appleby said: "We’ve been lucky at Moulton Paddocks, our grass facility is still in full action, so we’ve not missed any grass action which has helped our preparation in these testing times, when a lot of people haven’t been able to get on the grass.

"His work was good, it’s been slick. It took probably three or four weeks for him to get back into his racing brain, his work was a bit slow and a bit rounded. As Billy said, it  takes him a stride or two to lower into top gear but when he does, he knows how to motor."

With form in and around Bow Echo and Gstaad and sent off at 3-5, Distant Storm was entitled to win, but the style of this success suggests much bigger things lie in wait for the Night Of Thunder colt.

Billy Loughnane and Charlie Appleby after Distant Storm won Deauville's Prix DaphnisCredit: Racing Post/Burton

"He’s done not too much wrong this season, finishing third in an English Guineas and second in an Irish Guineas," said Appleby. "I just felt he needed a break. It’s hard to train in the spring, getting them ready for a Guineas, and we never felt we hit the straps with him there in both Guineas.

"Stepping him up to nine or ten [furlongs] will probably be the way I’d say. I do think he’ll be better on a bit better ground because it’s quick out there and I was a little bit concerned."

Behike strikes for Scott, Al Shaqab and Amo

Behike and Pierre-Charles Boudot dominated the Prix Moonlight CloudCredit: Racing Post/Burton

Behike dominated the finish of the Listed Prix Moonlight Cloud over six furlongs, going some way to justifying some fancy entries, though trainer George Scott warned the imposing son of Night Of Thunder might be more of next year's project.

"After the royal meeting I was a little bit disappointed that he didn’t win back in handicap company last time, but things didn’t work out and he was drawn on the wrong side," said Scott.

"We were very confident today, we thought we had the pace around us and it all went to plan." 

Scott added: "He’s got an amazing mind - as you often find with these Night Of Thunders. He has some lofty entries and while I have to speak to Kia [Joorabchian] and Al Shaqab’s racing team, and see what they would like to do, I would imagine we might take things a little bit slow with him and we might not go into Group 1 company until next year."

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