Samangan secured another Group One victory for Francis-Henri Graffard with a win in the ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. Throughout the six-and-a-half-furlong trip, Samangan, owned by Aga Khan Studs, maintained a close proximity to the pace-setting Afandy. In the final quarter-mile, Samangan demonstrated remarkable resilience to overcome Stolen Kiss and narrowly edged out the William Haggas-trained Division, who made a late surge under James Doyle.
This triumph marked a reversal of fortunes for Samangan, who had finished fourth in the Prix Jean Prat, with True Love in second place. Nemone Routh, racing manager for the owners in France, praised Samangan, saying, "He's a lovely horse, very genuine, and was always going to follow Afandy before showing great bravery." Routh also hinted at a potential appearance at Ascot on Champions Day, provided the ground conditions are suitable. Graffard expressed his delight with the victory, stating, "I am very pleased for the stable. He is a colt we have always held in high regard, and this win is a testament to the experience he has gained from his previous races." The Qatar Prix de la Foret is being considered as Samangan's next target, contingent upon favorable ground conditions.
In other news, Distant Storm made a successful return to the track with a win in the Prix Daphnis, potentially setting the stage for a return to more prominent competitions. As the third-place finisher to Bow Echo in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and Gstaad in the Irish equivalent, Distant Storm demonstrated his capabilities with a strong performance. Billy Loughnane, the jockey, noted, "I ended up a little further back than ideal, but the pace was even, which was ideal. When I popped him out at the top of the straight, he had a target to run at, and having a horse to aim at was beneficial."