Plumatic surprises at Saint-Cloud

Ostilio was sent off favourite for a high-class edition of the Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud, but having made much of the running that Simon Crisford-trained colt disappointed and was eased when beaten, coming home last of the seven as 28/1 outsider Plumatic landed the prize by a neck.

The Andre Fabre-trained five-year-old, whose three previous wins from 10 starts included the Group 3 Tattersalls Sovereign Stakes over the same trip at Salisbury last August, finished fourth to Ostilio in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp on his final outing of 2018 and was only beaten by a total of one and a half lengths when filling the same position behind Recoletos in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp the time before.

​He is owned and bred by Wertheimer et Frere and comes from one of their well-known families. He is also related to a successful stallion, which should add to his appeal when the time comes for him to go to stud.

Olmedo, who was runner-up this afternoon, won last year's Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas). He has not yet lived up to that potential, but this was an encouraging effort from the first-crop son of Declaration Of War (by War Front).

​Mer Et Nuages, a stable companion of the winner, was another three-parts of a length back in third, but in addition to the favourite, the disappointment of the race was last year's Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Polydream who was a never-dangerous sixth.

Last to first! Entered in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal @Ascot, Plumatic finishes strongly to nail Olmedo in the Group 2 Prix du Muguet... pic.twitter.com/bCNDwdKWWx

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 1, 2019

Plumatic, a son of Dalham Hall Stud's outstanding stallion Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium), finished last season on a Timeform rating of 121, 4lbs ahead of the figure achieved by his dam, Plumania (by Anabaa). She beat Youmzain by a nose in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, also won the Group 2 Prix Corrida, was runner-up in two editions of the Group 1 Prix Vermeille, and finished third to Stacelita in the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks).

The mare is also responsible for the Group 2-placed middle-distance listed scorer Maniaco (by Galileo) and for the promising three-year-old Starmaniac (by Sea The Stars). That colt, a winner at ParisLongchamp and Saint-Cloud from four starts, finished third to Roman Candle in the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe just over an hour after Plumatic's big win.

Plumania's siblings include Group 2 Prix de Royallieu winner Balladeuse (by Singspiel) – the dam of 2016's Group 1 Prix Vermeille heroine and Group 1 Prix de Diane runner-up Left Hand (by Dubawi) – and her dam, Featherquest (by Rainbow Quest), is a half-sister to Group 1 Prix Lupin scorer and successful sire Groom Dancer (by Blushing Groom).