Gavin Hernon registers first Group success as National Service salutes

Gavin Hernon celebrated the biggest win of his career as National Service produced a sustained finishing burst to score in the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac Longines under Tony Piccone.

Poule d'Essai fifth Kenway looked a big danger entering the final furlong but with the saddle slipping back beneath Pierre-Charles Boudot, he fly-leaped his way through the final 50 meters of the race to finish a somewhat luckless second

Cork native Hernon only sent out a first runner from his Lamorlaye yard in August 2018 and and reached a notable landmark when Flighty Lady became his first Group 1 runner when third to Albigna in last October's Prix Marcel Boussac.

As for the gelded National Service, he made a winning debut at Chantilly in December and was only beaten a head on his return to action at Saint-Cloud.

"The horses have been running well and we've had a lot of seconds and thirds since the restart," said Hernon. "It's great that a horse like him, who we've thought a lot of from the beginning, can come out and prove us right.

A buyback for his owner-breeder at Arqana as a yearling, National Service was pre-trained by Katie Walsh and came to Hernon via agent and former trainer Paul Harley.

Hernon said: "Today wasn't actually the plan. We were probably going to run in a Listed in Saint-Cloud next week but they're talking about 40 degree temperatures so we supplemented him here.

"We thought we’d have the measure of a lot of them bar Kenway and he pulled it out against him as well."

Hernon will take his time before setting future targets, though believes that the son of Elusive City – whose stride has been measures on GPS at a whopping 26 feet – could be made for US dirt once he has strengthened up some more.

Alocasia boosts Wooded form with easy success

France was unrepresented in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot after Wooded was withdrawn but Alocasia, the filly who chased him home in the Prix Texanita, gave the form a major boost when dominating her rivals to land the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or by three and a half lengths for trainer Henri-Francois Devin.

"I think the ground was a little bit softer than last time, while this probably wasn't quite as good a race," said Devin. "The Summer Stakes at York is over six furlongs and would be one thought, or we could stretch her out to seven.

"There are also quite a few opportunities here at the backend of the season and we know she likes a bit of give in the ground so we need to make sure we get there."

Other races that will come under consideration are the Prix Ris-Orangis and the Prix Kistena.

Miss Extra continues her ascent in Sandringham

In a normal year the Prix de Sandringham would be run the two and a half weeks before its namesake at Royal Ascot but the feature on the Chantilly card has been shunted back in the French programme in the wake of the suspension of racing.

Miss Extra continues to defy an unpromising start in life to add this to her Listed success at Deauville last month.

Bought by owner Alain Jathiere after four winless starts, she picked up a Longchamp handicap on her first outing for Pia Brandt just 39 days ago, and is now a Group 2 winner.

"She has a real turn of foot and even though she pulled a little today, she still finished really well," said Brandt. "She's worked her way up the ladder and so the Prix Rothschild will be next for her."

Treve's son Qous fifth on debut

There was to be no fairytale start to the career of Qous, the first runner out of dual Arc heroine Treve.

The three-year-old Dubawi colt was far from disgraced when finishing fifth under Vincent Cheminaud for owner-breeder Al Shaqab and trainer Andre Fabre.

Positioned on the outside of runners from his wide draw, Qous made good progress up the straight and was not pressed hard in the closing stages behind clear-cut winner Padovana.

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