Rayif too good for Puerto Rico and company in Paris

Rayif gained revenge on Puerto Rico as he took the shortest route to land the Emirates Poule d’Essai Des Poulains at ParisLonghchamp, continuing an already fine season for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.

In the colours of the Aga Khan Studs, Rayif was beaten into third by Aidan O’Brien’s Group One hat-trick seeker Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in October, but it was a different story in the French 2000 Guineas on a gloomy afternoon in the Bois de Boulogne.

Karl Burke’s Hankelow set the pace stalked by Puerto Rico as Mickael Barzalona hugged the rail on the 4-1 winner and bided his time before pushing the button to accelerate and sending him on, cosily holding the fast-finishing Komorebi, with Hankelow a brave third just ahead of Puerto Rico and Ryan Moore.