Queen’s Vase on the agenda for powerful stayer Southern France

Southern France does not do things in a hurry – he only made his first racecourse appearance as a three-year-old in April, remember – but stamina is his strong suit and he emerged as a live Queen’s Vase contender following his workmanlike win in the feature Listed Yeats Stakes.

It was a little less straightforward than his starting price of 4-7 suggested, but the strapping son of Galileo always looked to be doing enough to deny Drapers Guild and the half-length winning margin was reasonably cosy at the line.

The performance shouted that he was a Royal Ascot contender next month and Donnacha O’Brien agreed.