Puchkine powers clear to pull off Prix Jean Prat upset

Better-fancied stablemate Havana Cigar finishes second as British raiders flounder.

Puchkine caused a big surprise in the Prix Jean Prat as Jean-Claude Rouget saddled the first two home at Deauville.

The Starspangledbanner colt tracked the pacemaker for the first four furlongs, with the rest of the field content to sit off the early gallop.

When Ioritz Mendizabal took over with three furlongs to run, he only had Brian Meehan’s French 1000 Guineas runner-up Kathmandu for company.

With the British raider fading close home, Puchkine had the race in the bag and the only questions left revolved around minor honours.

Havana Cigar, a stablemate of the impressive 33-1 winner, made late gains to claim second, just in front of Beauvatier.

Kathmandu fared best of the Brits back in fifth, one place in front of Frankel’s half-brother Kikkuli, but both Devil’s Point and Romantic Style were well beaten.

The winner had to be supplemented into the race earlier in the week.

Rouget is currently on a break from training whilst he undergoes treatment for lymphoma.

“We are all thinking of Mr Rouget right now, we want to thank him,” said Nicolas de Watrigant, racing manager to owner-breeder Alain Jathiere on Sky Sports Racing.

“We’ve always hoped for the best with this horse, he has always shown potential.

“In the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Guineas) he didn’t like the soft ground, he was pulling a lot. He’s a horse who needs a straight course and Longchamp didn’t suit him.

“We always knew he was a good horse, he was working very well, so we took the decision to supplement him and I think he will come back for the Maurice de Gheest, he’s full of speed.”

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