Intellogent Upsets Prix Jean Prat at Deauville

Fabrice Chappet must be developing a real love of Deauville's straight mile after Intellogent and jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot brought the trainer a second career group 1 success in the July 8 Qatar Prix Jean Prat, 15 months after he got off the mark with Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, G1) heroine Precieuse on the same track. 

Fourth in the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club (G1) when last seen, Intellogent relished the drop in trip to land the first running of this historic prize for 3-year-olds since being transferred from Chantilly and its sweeping right-hand bend. 

Sent off the fifth choice of the seven-strong lineup by pari-mutuel punters, Fiona Carmichael's colt held off the supplemented Cascadian to score by a short neck, providing his sire, Intello, with a first group 1 winner in a race which took on an unusual dimension as jockey Christophe Soumillon headed for the far rail on the free-running German Two Thousand Guineas (G2) winner Ancient Spirit.

Chappet said: "Job done. It didn't look easy on paper, but we knew the horse was in great form, and he's not put in a single bad performance during his career, so I'm delighted.

"We've taken our time with him, running only once last year and then avoiding the major opposition while he gained experience, which is what he's done. Now he's more mature."

Intellogent's best form over a mile was when finishing a close third to the highly regarded Mer Et Nuages—who missed this race through a slight setback and will hopefully return to action in the autumn—since when he has been campaigned over further.

Chappet said: "We'll have to think about it, but the (Prix) Jacques le Marois (G1) is the logical next step."

With a nod to his group 1 breakthrough with Precieuse here last year, he added: "This is a track which always produces well-run races, which isn't always the case on less galloping tracks. It's always a good idea to run the good races on the best tracks."

The reckoning between the French and Anglo-Irish Guineas form over a mile failed to materialise with the sub-par performances of Hey Gaman and Olmedo, who appeared well below the form of their 1-2 finish in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) back in fifth and seventh. 

Jockey James Doyle believed Hey Gaman may not have been in love with the fast ground. 

He said: "It's very disappointing. He just wanted to lug right most of the way and didn't really get out of first gear. Possibly the ground is a bit quick for him."

Cascadian had appeared Andre Fabre's No. 1 juvenile at around this trip last season before injury intervened, and he more than vindicated his trainer's high opinion in almost reeling in the winner.

As for third-placed Gustav Klimt, who had progressed with each run from Newmarket to the Curragh and then Royal Ascot, it is hard to argue this was anything other than a step backward, albeit the first two are unexposed and clearly improving. 

Jockey Ryan Moore said: "He ran a good race, and I am happy with him."