The decision to keep Study Of Man at home instead of taking him to Epsom for the Derby has paid off with his victory in the French equivalent, the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
The Pascal Bary-trained colt stamped himself as a leading contender following an impressive display in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud last month.
After travelling strongly in midfield, he began to reel in the leaders early in the home straight under Stephane Pasquier and battled his way to the lead inside the final furlong (200m).
Several horses attempted to peg him back as the post loomed, but Study Of Man, a son of champion Japanese stallion Deep Impact, clung on for victory.
Betfair cut the winner to 20-1 from 33-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in October.
“He did it very well and he’s shown what Pascal and Stephane have always thought of him was correct – he’s a top-class horse,” Alan Cooper, racing manager to winning owners the Niarchos family, said:.
“After he won the Prix Greffulhe it was either come here or go to Epsom (for the Derby) and we decided to stay at this distance (mile and a quarter) for the moment.
“We’ll regroup now and see whether he could be a horse for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but let’s not jump to any conclusions.
“We’ll get him back and get ourselves back and go from there.”
