CHURCHILL’S form was given a considerable boost at Deauville last Sunday when Al Wukair pinched the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois in the last stride under the superb guidance of Frankie Dettori.

It was also an excellent result for Irish breeding as the winner was bred by Ballylinch Stud and the runner-up, Inns Of Court, is by Invincible Spirit, chief flag-bearer for the Irish National Stud.

Gregory Benoist, Al Wukair’s regular rider, has been on the side lines with injury since early July but was one of the first to congratulate stand-in Dettori.

The finish was fought out by Al Shaqab Racing, owners of the winner, and both the second and third Thunder Snow run in the colours of Godolphin.

It was a highly tactical event with the Christophe Soumillon trying to hoodwink his rivals by setting a moderate early pace on Thunder Snow before increasing the memento with just over three furlongs left to run. But the Italian maestro, Dettori, was up to the task and started to breath down Soumillon’s neck at exactly the right time.

After a slow start, Mickael Barzalona, on Inns Of Court, swooped on the far side to lead well inside the final furlong before being collared by Al Wukair with a metre left to run. The winning distance was a short-head and Thunder Snow, the surprise favourite, battled on gamely to finish a short-neck away in third.

The well-fancied Trais Fluors was slightly unlucky with 100 metres left to run and then was one paced finishing fourth, while Taareef was totally unsuited to the moderate early pace. Jean-Bernard Eyquem battled with the only four-year-old in the race and the pair were a spent force by the furlong marker.

André Fabre was responsible for the first two and the fourth past the post and he now joins the late François Boutin in training the winner of the Jacques La Marois winner on seven occasions. Dettori was winning the event for a fourth time and he had dashed back to Deauville after riding in Chicago at Arlington Park.

Beaming like a Cheshire cat, Fabre said: “I more than lived this race. I’m happy that Al Wukair has won but would have also been if one of my other runners had been successful. I think the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot would be a good race for him but he will stay further so I must talk to the owner. He’s in the Champion Stakes but I think the Irish Champion comes a bit quick.”

Of Inns Of Court, he added: “He settled well today and his saddle slipped here in the Poulains.”

Benoist was delighted to see Al Wukair win in such a brilliant style. The jockey was injured from Doha Dream in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 2nd. He reported: “My back still hurts but I hope to be riding again at the end of the week.”

Dettori disclosed: “The pace was slow and I got stuck in him two and a half out. When Christophe’s whip slapped Al Wukair in the face, it woke him up and the softer ground was to his liking.”

Al Wukair did not have the best of runs when third to Churchill and Barney Roy in the Qipco 2000 Guineas back in May.

Saeed Bin Suroor reported: “Thunder Snow always runs well in tough races. We’ll give him a rest now and bring him back for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.”

Owner/breeder Andreas Putsch said of Trais Fluors: “We felt the race lacked pace. The colt only found his stride at the end. We think a longer trip would be beneficial.”