'That's not the horse I know' - David Menuisier left scratching his head as Sunway fails to fire in Prix Greffulhe

After 24 hours of wrestling with the 'what-might-have-beens' following Tamfana's luckless fourth in the 1,000 Guineas, David Menuisier was left with a problem of an entirely different nature as Group 1 winner Sunway failed to justify cramped odds in the Prix Greffulhe.

Oisin Murphy looked to be well in control at the head of a four-runner field for most of the race, but when he asked last season's Criterium International winner to settle the matter there was a most muted response, resulting in Sunway going down by a neck to Wootton Verni. 

"He had the others covered the whole way and then when he went to change his legs in the straight, he just didn’t have the same action," said Menuisier. "Is it physical or some other problem? I don’t know. He certainly didn’t run like the horse I know. The horse I know would have won going away."

Sunway was one of a number of Menuisier's three-year-olds whose seasonal debuts have left plenty to work on, with Murphy kicking himself for not making more use of the son of Galiway when only fifth in the Prix la Force at Longchamp last month. 

The West Sussex trainer refused to blame the change of tactics, and is hopeful something will come to light to explain Sunway's lack of punch at the business end of the race.

"He hung in there because of his talent, but I think he’s run a long way below form," said Menuisier. "The reason for that I just don’t know. I know the form of the horses he’s been working with and even compared to a horse like Tamfana, it’s night and day.

Wootton Verni and Cristian Demuro after winning the Prix GreffulheCredit: Scott Burton (racingpost.com/photos)

"They don’t work together, but Oisin came to work this horse and Devil’s Point the other day, and we both know that Sunway has enormous potential. I may not have won 50 Group 1s, but I know a good horse."

Wootton Verni, who holds an entry in the Prix du Jockey Club, carries the colours of Jean-Pierre Dubois and provided his trainer, former jump jockey Jerome Andreu, with a first Group-race success. In winning he boosted the form of his all-weather Listed conqueror Darlinghurst, who holds an entry in Saturday's Group 3 Prix de Guiche.

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