Condon's Romanised returns to his best in Prix Jacques le Marois

Europe has been searching for a leader for its older mile division and in Romanised – who streaked to an impressive success in one of the most reliable indicators in the calendar – it may transpire that the answer was hiding in plain sight.

Adding a Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois to his Classic success from 15 months ago, Romanised may have done just that, building on an upward trajectory that had been evident in each of his last three starts.

And as no-excuses clean victories go, this was as clearcut as it gets, as Billy Lee guided the son of Holy Roman Emperor past two pacemakers to stretch away from Shaman, with Line Of Duty in third and Coronation Stakes winner Watch Me fourth.

It is a quirk of the miling calendar that you need a reasonable quotient of stamina at the start of the year before speed becomes the absolute prerequisite from the Sussex Stakes onwards.

Fortunately for Condon and owner Robert Ng, that increase in tempo is coinciding with Romanised becoming more and more pacy with time and age.

"We used to see that speed in training but when he won the Guineas he looked like he just outstayed everything else and that he could go a mile and a quarter," said Condon.

"He's just demonstrating that speed we've always seen and they ran 1m22s at the Curragh for the seven furlongs, which is the quickest Minstrel Stakes in 14 years.

Condon added: "I think you'll maybe see him in the Foret or he may go for the Breeders' Cup Mile. If he goes Breeders’ Cup Mile, he may just stay home at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend [for the Boomerang Stakes]."

Paddy Power installed Romanised as a 14-1 chance for Santa Anita, while Condon believes he has a different horse on his hands this year.

Romanised also won the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh last monthCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

"He won the Guineas at a big price and we campaigned him ambitiously because we've always felt he was a very nice horse. After the Guineas last year he went to Ascot and didn’t have a great experience there. This year he seems to be mentally better and more mature, he's an improving horse and you could see it today. It was a very good performance."

Lee said he had expected to have many more horses in front of him than behind him but was always in the perfect position behind Shaman and the two trailblazers.

Condon worked for the sponsoring Niarchos family as a young man and Lee also felt a debt of gratitude towards the same quarter.

"It's particularly special because they provided me with a first Group 1 and it’s lovely that I've won another and they sponsor it," said Lee. "My lad’s just getting more uncomplicated with each race and it was a good performance.

"Shane Foley was riding him last year and then he took the job with Jessica Harrington so he wasn’t able to commit to Ken and the horse. Luckily enough Ken gave me the call earlier in the year and thanks to Willie McCreery and Paddy Twomey, they had no problem and so riding for all three is a pleasure."

Shaman and Line Of Duty fill the places

A year after chasing home Alpha Centauri in this race with Recoletos, Carlos Laffon-Parias was once again left with the runners-up prize as Shaman returned to the kind of level that saw him push Persian King hard in the French Guineas.

"Before the race the Irish horse was the one that scared me the most because he ran very well in the Queen Anne and was very unlucky," said Laffon-Parias. "I think he would have won with a better trip and the other day he was impressive in Ireland."

Laffon-Parias added of the three-year-old son of Shamardal: "Shaman handles every kind of track. You always have questions when you get beaten – maybe slightly slower ground would have helped but I’m not making excuses. We were beaten by the better horse.

"The Moulin and the QEII are the last Group 1s of the year in Europe and we’ll need to win one if we are going to make a stallion."

Line Of Duty put in his best performance since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, leaving Charlie Appleby to contemplate an autumn campaign.

"As a two-year old he was unbeaten at the trip and we've tested him over a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half [in the Investec Derby] but coming back to the mile has brought about significant improvement," said Appleby. "A bit of cut in the ground would definitely suit him and he's shown a nice level of ability at the mile."

For the freshest betting advice, based on latest going and market conditions, don't miss the Live Tipster every afternoon. Just click Raceday Live at racingpost.com or the mobile app