Lazzat slams rivals in Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville

Lazzat maintained his unbeaten record with a scintillating display in the ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

A winner of his previous five starts having only begun his racing career in January, the Territories gelding added to his narrow success over Jean-Claude Rouget's reopposing Havana Cigar in Group Three company as he stepped up to the highest level for the first time.

Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte led the way in the early stages, with Lazzat positioned among the pursuers alongside Rouget’s Prix Jean Prat scorer, Puchkine.

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s July Cup winner Mill Stream was also handily poised, but none of the opposition had an answer to Lazzat once jockey Antonio Orani asked his mount to turn on the afterburners.

The three-year-old stormed to a comfortable success as the 10-3 favourite, leading home an all-French top three, from Carlos and Yann Lerner’s Exxtra in second and Yann Barberot’s Beauvatier in third.

Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda was the best British-trained runner in fourth, with Mill Stream a place further back.