Godolphin horses eclipsed by Prairie Star at Longchamp

The Elie Lellouche-trained Prairie Star denies the Godolphin chargers Grand Vent and Genius Beast at the Group 2 Prix Hocquart in France.

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The Elie Lellouche-trained Prairie Star narrowly denied Godolphin's Grand Vent in a thrilling finish to the Group 2 Prix Hocquart at Longchamp in France yesterday.

Godolphin's Sandown Classic Trial winner Genius Beast, trained by Mahmood al Zarooni, cut out much of the running, but jockey Frankie Dettori was sending out the distress signals from the turn for home.

Christophe Soumillon loomed up menacingly on Prairie Star but just as he had seen off the pacesetter, the second Godolphin hope, Grand Vent, trained by Andre Fabre, came from the rear under Mickael Barzalona.

Fabre's colt kept eating into Prairie Star's lead as the line approached, but the latter just held on.

To his credit, Genius Beast plugged on to pick up minor honours in third.

Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager, told Godolphin. com: "Genius Beast obviously stays very well and will remain entered in everything …" He added that "Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is leaning" towards racing the colt at the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17.

Also at Longchamp, Golden Lilac remained unbeaten with an impressive victory in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for Fabre and Olivier Peslier. The daughter of Galileo was quickly away and her supporters must have been concerned as the filly was pulling her head in the early stages.

Peslier soon got her back on an even keel and she showed an electric turn of foot to pick up pacemaker Glorious Sight in the final furlong to win.

The British raiders failed to make any impression. Aidan O'Brien's Wild Wind stayed on to finish third, but Paul Cole's Rimth, the Ed Dunlop-trained Sharnberry, Maqaasid from the John Gosden stable and Godolphin inmate Zoowraa, under Dettori, all failed to perform.