Marmalade the toast of Paris after Ganay glory at Longchamp

Ballydoyle's new No 1 Johnny Murtagh pulled out all the right moves on Duke Of Marmalde in the Prix Ganay, the first Group One of the season, at Longchamp while two-time Gold Cup winner Yeats needed a few stiff reminders from Seamus Heffernan in unenviable conditions at Navan to rally and take the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes on his return for the second successive year.

The high expectations of favouritre Zambezi Sun in the more prestigious race failed to materialise as Murtagh seized the initiative two furlongs out and had enough under him to repel a late challenge from Saddex. Zambezi Sun, from Pascal Bary's yard and who has an ambitious English program in the wings, finished out of the money.

Corals make Yeats 7-4 favourite to seal a hat-trick of Gold Cup successes this summer while Duke of Marmalade is now 8-1 (from 16s) for the Prince of Wales's Stakes and 10-1 (from 25s) from the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Archipenko, a former O'Brien horse now with Mike de Kock, is now also Ascot-bound following a superb win in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin.

Sir Michael Stoute's interest in next weekend's Classics now rests solely with Perfect Stride in the colts' race after his 1,000 Guineas contender Visit was ruled out yesterday.

Perefect Stride missed the Craven Stakes with a swollen hock but he gave a pleasing workout on the Al Bahathri gallop at Newmarket oin Saturday, and the trainer said: "He is back cantering and we are hoping to get him to the Guineas. It's not certain he will run but we are aiming him at the race."

Stoute's other leading light Confront was not declared for next Saturday's 2,000 Guineas after disappointing in the Greenham Stakes behind Paco Boy, whose connections will not supplement him for the race but will opt instead for the French version if soft conditions prevail.

John Gosden's Centennial failed to impress the bookmakers with a hard fought victory in the Classic Trial at Sandown and is now likely to have his Derby credentials tested in the Dante Stakes at York next month.

He is best priced 12-1 for Epsom after holding off Whistledownwind to win a race that Gosden won four times in the 1990 and in which he saddled subsequent 1997 Derby winner Benny The Dip to finish second.

Gosden said: "My previous four winners were primed for this race but Benny The Dip wasn't and neither was this horse."

Gosden has a strong Classic hand. He runs Infallible (1,000 Guineas) and Raven's Pass (2,000 Guineas) next week and Friday's Sandown winner Dar Ri Me is now disputing Oaks favouritism at 10-1.

Despite his firm grip in the Classics, Gosden remains wary, especially heading into next Sunday's 1,000 Guineas.

He said: "The thing about the fillies' race is there is a lot who haven't run this year. I think you have got to face the fact that the Guineas has been won by fillies who have not raced in the season. We didn't beat much (at Newmarket at the Craven meeting)) but the filly (Infallible) is in good order after working and scoping well on Friday."

While he will not talk up Raven's Pass' hopes in the 2,000 but there is an air of quiet confidence.

"The Craven (Stakes) was a solid trial — they went a hell of a pace, which was unusual to get such a strong pace in a trial," he said.

"We got caught a little short in the end but he ran a nice race and he worked well on Friday.

"You have got New Approach turning up as well as Fast Company who ran second in the Dewhurst, so it's a different story now. It looks a solid Guineas, it really does. Raven's Pass will have a breeze up on Tuesday or Wednesday."

Gosden is under no illusions as to his colt's stamina. He added: "I think he's a miler, but I don't think he is a mile-and-a-quarter horse. He won over seven at Sandown as a two-year-old and broke the juvenile record — and that is a stiff seven — so from that point of view I think he gets a mile."