Shouldvebeenaring won for Richard Hannon © Photo Healy Racing
Shouldvebeenaring ended a 12-race win drought when swooping late in the Group Three Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville.
Richard Hannon’s sprinter has run some big races in defeat in that time, most notably when placed in Group One company in the Haydock Sprint Cup and Prix de la Foret at the end of last season.
He went close at York in May but had been well beaten in his last two races at the Curragh and Royal Ascot.
However, the four-year-old travelled sweetly in the hands of Sean Levey and finished off powerfully in a race dominated by the British-trained runners.
James Tate’s Electric Storm appeared to have made a race-winning move under Ryan Moore but Levey came up on the opposite side of the track to win by a head, with a neck back to Archie Watson’s Shartash.
Levey said: “It went very well for him. He’s had some funny ones this year. I think his perfect conditions are this trip on a flat track on fast ground and when he doesn’t get what he likes, he can throw in a bad run.
“You could see on his run at York, six furlongs on a flat track, he ran a good race, but then a stiff track at Ascot, he didn’t raise a gallop. When he turns up, he can be quite good.
“He’s always been a laid-back customer and he didn’t miss a dance last year, with every run he went up a couple of kilos, he’s always been a good doer. He’s maybe older and wiser now too.
“He travelled extremely well today and never looked like losing. He’s been here twice and run really well twice, so I imagine the Prix Maurice de Gheest will be on the agenda.”
Moore may have been out of luck on Electric Storm but he teamed up with Richard Hughes to win the Listed Prix Amandine on Fair Angellica.
The giant filly disappointed in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot but regained the winning thread in fine style.
Moore tracked Owen Burrows’ Miaharris until two furlongs from home, when he ranged up alongside and made his bid for glory.
Fair Angellica immediately took two lengths out of the field and had no trouble maintaining a clear advantage to the line, winning by a length and three-quarters.
Miaharris just lost out in a photo for third.
“I’m over the moon. We came here for a bit of black type and if she won, it was going to be a bonus,” Hughes told Sky Sports Racing.
“She’s won really well at Kempton prior to Ascot but I was very concerned about the mile at Ascot. It had been the plan, but she didn’t stay.
“Seven furlongs is perfect, Ryan said she could come back to six, certainly on slower ground anyway, but she’s a very nice filly and has done nothing but please us since she came to the yard.
“I believe there’s more to come, she’s over 500 kilos, she’s more grown up now than she’s ever been, the fact she was able to travel over here and put up a performance like that proves it.
“I’ve an eye on the Oak Tree (at Goodwood) but we’ll see.”
