Ziyad strikes in Grand Prix with Arc hope Nagano Gold back in third

Ziyad held off the late charge of Soft Light to secure the Grand Prix de Deauville, the final group prize of the Normandy track's month-long festival meeting.

Hardwicke Stakes runner-up Nagano Gold ran a respectable race in third as his Czech connections eye a tilt at the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. That target is out of bounds for the gelded Ziyad, who was run down close home by Coronet in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last month.

Deputising for the suspended Maxime Guyon, Olivier Peslier produced a fine ride in the silks he enjoyed such success on Goldikova and Solemia.

The Wertheimers' racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau said: "I was pleased they [the Nagano Gold team] put in a pacemaker because otherwise there was a worry that he would have to do all the work again. On the line of his run in the Grand Prix de Paris we were expecting a good run and so we're very happy.

"He is gelded and so we almost certainly need to be on our travels with him and there are some nice international targets that could come into calculations."

Jean-Claude Rouget was delighted with Soft Light, who was last seen finishing fifth to Japan in the Grand Prix de Paris.

"I think he's run to something like 52 [115] and he will be a very interesting horse to race on with at four," said Rouget. "He'll have one more run this season in the Prix du Conseil de Paris, which is a race I've had in mind for quite a while."

Nagano Gold (number 6) finishing second to Defoe at Ascot in JuneCredit: Mark Cranham

Vaclav Luka admitted the 77-rated Premier Lion had been unable to set a strong enough pace for Nagano Gold but was not downhearted with a run he hoped would put his stable star on course for the Arc.

"Early on he needed a faster pace because for the first part of the race they went slow and he was very keen," said Luka. "But after quite a long break I think it was a good run."

Abbaye and Hong Kong Sprint on agenda for Spinning Memories

Spinning Memories streaked clear of her rivals to land the Prix de Meautry under Christophe Soumillon at Deauville on SundayCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Spinning Memories pulled well clear of her rivals under Christophe Soumillon to land an impressive victory in the Group 3 Prix de Meautry to set up a crack at the Prix de l'Abbaye on Arc day.

The daughter of Arcano had proved her wellbeing when fourth to Advertise over half a furlong further in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at the start of the month and after this win, trainer Pascal Bary and owner Pan Sutong can look forward to an exciting autumn.

"We'll look at the Prix de l'Abbaye first and then she looks like she could be a filly for the Hong Kong Sprint, because she showed a lot of speed today and impressed me," said Bary.

Dean Ivory was delighted with runner-up Stake Acclaim and could look at a return to France for the Prix du Petit Couvert for the lightly raced seven-year-old.

"He's in some big handicaps like the Ayr Gold Cup and the Portland, but we'll have another look and maybe come back to France for another Group race," said Ivory.

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