Figuero saves Francois Nicolle's bleak weekend as James Reveley rules Auteuil

James Reveley may not have won the feature Prix la Haye Jousselin with the Willie Mullins-trained Franco De Port, but a haul of two Grade 1s out of three resulted in him showing his very best at Auteuil.

Not that Mullins will have been too downhearted with Franco De Port, who brushed up considerably on his jumping when compared with his staying on third in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, and looks a very promising project with a view to next May's edition of France's biggest jumps race.

At the end of the Grade 1 Prix La Haye Jousselin, it was Figuero and Angelo Zuliani who prevailed, much to the relief of champion trainer Francois Nicolle, who had approached the penultimate race of this two-day festival without a winner to his name.

"He went to the front a little too soon but Angelo had no choice and I could see how well they were going," said Nicolle. "It's been a long weekend and we've taken a few hits, finishing second or third. This helps a lot."

Reveley said of Franco De Port: "With the experience under his belt he jumped better — still a little bit big on occasions — but it was a good run. He just struggled a little to quicken at the end but it will stand him in good stead for whatever Willie wants to do with him."

Reveley's dream afternoon kicked off with a real demonstration in the Prix Cambaceres — the championship race for three-year-old hurdlers — aboard St Donats, a first Grade 1 winner for upwardly-mobile trainer Hugo Merienne.

Victory meant just as much to the Reveley clan, given James' father Keith had trained Cue To Cue, the dam of St Donats, for owner-breeder John Williams, while granddam Morello was a prolific winner of races such as the Morebattle Hurdle and the Long Walk for his grandmother Mary.

"It's a great story for the family and I think my dad was quite emotional afterwards, while she's been a fantastic broodmare," said Reveley.

St Donats was reversing form with the Emmet Mullins-trained Mctigue, winner of the main trial back in October but only sixth here under Donagh Meyler.

"We fancied St Donats beforehand, he takes his racing so well," said Reveley. "The one that beat us the last day had a trip to Ireland and back and probably wants it softer than this. He had everything in his favour and he did it well."

James Reveley returns aboard Gessy Raiselle after victory in the Grade 1 Prix Maurice GilloisCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Reveley had barely 40 minutes to wait for further success when Gessy Raiselle — a second Grade 1 winner of the weekend for David Cottin — ran down the unbeaten Diamond Carl to score in the big four-year-old chase, the Prix Maurice Gillois.

"She was very impressive and I would have won without pushing if we hadn't been hampered at the second-last," said Reveley, who won the same Grade 1 double in 2017 when riding for Guillaume Macaire.

Read these next:

Christophe Soumillon's two-month ban could be extended after police intervention

'It was like driving a car with two flat tyres' - no luck for Lagoon in Japan

'He's watching over us' - big Auteuil winner an emotional one for Theleme camp

Have you tried the new Racing Post app? Its new game-changing odds comparison allows you to check the price and place terms all on one simple screen. Make sure you get the best price on all your bets! The new app is available here.