Landseer gave Aidan O'Brien his second Guineas triumph in just eight days when winning yesterday's Poule d'Essai de Poulains at Longchamp.

It was O'Brien's first time to hit the mark in what is the French 2,000 Guineas, but Landseer's length defeat of the locals Medecis and Bowman confirmed the strength in depth at Ballydoyle.

"We ran him in the trial to see if he would act around Longchamp and he improved a good bit since then," said O'Brien.

Landseer had run third in that Prix Fontainbleau, behind Medecis and Bowman, but emphatically reversed the form yesterday.

Michael Kinane had Landseer tucked away off the pace which was forged by his stablemate Sahara Desert and Captain Rio, representing Richard Whitaker's first shot at this level.

With over a furlong to go, Kinane burst Landseer onto the scene, pouncing on a gap between Firebreak and Captain Rio, and despite Medecis' valiant attempt to get on terms he never looked like relinquishing the prize and stayed on stoutly to add to Rock of Gibraltar's Newmarket success.

"He's improved greatly since his last run in the Prix de Fontainbleau (when he finished behind Bowman and Medecis), he was the ideal horse for this race," said Kinane.

The colt, winner of the Coventry last season, could go for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next.

"Like a lot of them, he is a possible for the Irish Guineas but the St James's Palace is an option too. He could go there with Rock Of Gibraltar," O'Brien added.

Godolphin's Firebreak, under Frankie Dettori, finished fourth but was demoted to sixth after the stewards deemed he had interfered with Guys And Dolls. Dettori received a ban, ruling him out of the first two days of Goodwood's meeting in a week's time.

Favourite and Epsom Derby candidate Shaanmer was a staying on fifth (moved up to fourth after the inquiry), a performance that prompted connections to say au revoir to the Epsom race in preference to a tilt at the Prix du Jockey Club.

Sophsticat (third) and Wrong Key (fourth) proved best of the Irish fillies in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (the 1,000 Guineas), which provided jockey Richard Hughes with a first classic success on Zenda..

Zenda's trainer, John Gosden said: "We'll be looking now at the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes, before freshening her up for the autumn when she'll step-up in trip."

Ballingarry finished out the back in the Group One Prix Lupin with the French favourite Act One confirming his place in next month's Prix du Jockey Club.

"Michael said Ballingarry pulled up distressed so maybe he was carrying something. That was really too bad to be the real him," said O'Brien.