IT proved worth the wait. Fully three months since running away with the Dante Stakes at York and then swerving the Epsom Derby, Economics proved himself to be a colt out of the very top drawer when storming home to land the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville on Thursday.

Forced to race slightly wider than is ideal before giving the prominently-ridden Jayarebe the best part of five lengths head start off the home bend, Economics responded generously to a couple of smacks from the whip of Tom Marquand to surge past Jayarebe and score by two lengths, the first two pulling six lengths clear of Almaqam, who completed a 1-2-3 for the British visitors.

Marquand told Equidia television viewers: “It’s still very early in his career, but Economics showed today that the decision to miss the Derby was very right and could be the making of him.”

“It’s very exciting. He proved here that he is as good as he looked in the Dante and you would have to say that he is a Group 1 horse.”

Trainer William Haggas added: “It was good to see him do it again. It looked like he had to come from a fair way back and the second got a first run on him.

“His next target is likely to be the Irish Champion Stakes. It is sponsored by his owner, Sheikh Isa, and his family. That is one of the reasons that we ran him here rather than in the Juddmonte International. The Juddmonte to the Irish Champion is close enough. The plan is for him to remain in training next year.”

Winning debut

Joseph O’Brien’s two-year-old Mohaather colt Mojave River recouped the bulk of his €105,000 Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale price when making a winning debut with a two-length victory in the seven-furlong Arqana Series des Pouliches, pouching an €80,000 first prize. At the end of the card, Jessica Harrington’s Bluedrum was a solid fourth to George Boughey’s Soprano in the mile Group 3 Prix de Lieurey.