Travel disruption hands PJ McDonald plum spare ride as Azaniya shows her class for Burrows

PJ McDonald was the beneficiary of travel issues for Callum Rodriguez as he picked up a plum spare ride aboard Azaniya, who ran out a dominant winner of the Listed Prix Solitude for Owen Burrows.

"She was impressive today and there didn't look a moment's worry," said Burrows. "I told PJ to be positive as she's more of a grinder and she did it very well, especially when you consider she had a penalty for her Listed win. 

"Before today we thought this might be her last race, and that might still be her done. But given how well she's done, it's certainly worth another conversation to see if the plans might change. She's four from five this year and she probably wasn't quite at her best when she was fourth at Salisbury."

McDonald had a far from straightforward journey to Paris but was impressed with Azaniya, who pulled four and a half lengths clear of Narkala. 

"That was pretty straightforward and the instructions were to keep it simple and ride her positively," said McDonald. "I was able to control the race the whole way and I was loving the ground, but she stretched for me when I let her down. She's a filly that will get further, she's tough and her attitude is a hundred per cent."

Fred Morley (right of picture) with Wathnan's Quiescent after her win in the Prix Herod at Saint-CloudCredit: Racing Post/Burton

Earlier on the card Quiescent ran out an easy winner of the Listed Prix Herod to bring up a four-timer for Wathnan Racing and trainer Hamad Al Jehani. 

Representing Richard Brown, Fred Morley was on hand to oversee Quiescent's first attempt at Listed level and will not have suffered too many anxious moments watching from the Saint-Cloud stands as Maxime Guyon threaded a path between runners to score by four and a half lengths.

"It was a very pleasing performance because she won at Newmarket on quicker ground and then again the other day when there was a bit more ease, which encouraged the team to come here in search of black type," said Morley. "She's on an upward trajectory and now she's a stakes winner at two I've no doubt the team will be looking into early-season options next year."

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