Limato was denied a first Group 1 victory when Make Believe bounced back to form in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
Henry Candy‘s Limato had been an impressive winner of the Park Stakes at Doncaster last time on his first try over 7f and was sent off a short-priced favourite in the Foret.
Ridden by Ryan Moore for the first time, Limato was held up in the 7f contest, but stayed on too late to land a telling blow on the winner Make Believe.
Olivier Peslier had been briefly hemmed in on Make Believe, but the gaps opened up in time as the colt quickened away to see off Limato by a length-and-a-quarter, with Toormore running a big race in third.
Make Believe had beaten New Bay in the French 2000 Guineas earlier in the season, but Andre Fabre’s horse had not run since finishing last behind Gleneagles in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Fabre had earlier picked up another Group 1 success when Ultra just held on from fellow Godolphin horse Cymric to win the Prix Jean-Lug Lagardere.
First Selection set a strong pace from the off and Simon Crisford’s runner was still at the head of affairs inside the two-furlong marker.
Ultra had always been in a handy position under Mickael Barzalona and stayed on well to win by a short neck from Cymric, who had come with a sustained challenge down the outside.
Galileo Gold, who had been keen early on, just pipped Johannes Vermeer for third, with First Selection finishing fifth.
Mille Et Mille proved the best of the stayers when winning the Prix du Cadran from Kicky Blue, with Hughie Morrison’s Fun Mac taking third.
