Longchamp:Silver Frost ran out an impressive winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp. Christophe Soumillon brought the Verglas colt from wide on the outside and went away to beat Le Havre and Naaqoos, though the latter was replaced by Johnny Murtagh and Westphalia after an objection.
Murtagh did not get a clear run at a crucial stage as Aidan O'Brien's charge was engaging top gear and flashed home without ever really looking like winning.
"He's run a good race and was coming home well. It is always good to see horses finishing strongly in their races and he won't mind going further," O'Brien.
Westphalia's promotion to third came after an objection was lodged by Olivier Peslier, rider of Handsome Maestro, after Davy Bonilla on Naaqoos appeared to come across him in the straight.
The stewards elected to demote Naaqoos to sixth and promote Westphalia to third.
The Yves de Nicolay-trained Silver Frost has now won six of his nine starts and beat Westphalia last time out when they met in the Prix de Fontainebleau.
There was a strong early gallop set up front but Freddie Head's Naaqoos still ran very keen and did not help his chances at all.
Jim Bolger's Vocalised got worked up a little bit before going into the stalls and Kevin Manning never looked to be happy at any stage.
Ultimately the winner, owned by Harrogate-based businessman John Cotton, looked in a different league as he passed the post with two lengths in hand.
The Yves de Nicolay-trained three-year-old has now won six of his nine starts and beat Westphalia last time out when they met in the Prix de Fontainebleau.
There was a strong early gallop set up front but Freddie Head's Naaqoos still ran very keen and did not help his chances at all.
Eventually he did very well to stick on for third but Le Havre ultimately confirmed the form of their run in the Prix Djebel.
Jim Bolger's Vocalised got worked up a little bit before going into the stalls and Kevin Manning never looked to be happy at any stage.
Ultimately the winner, owned by Harrogate-based businessman John Cotton, looked in a different league.