Improving Tokaido lands four-timer in Papin Amy Murphy has a very exciting juvenile on her hands as Tokaido stretched his winning run to four with an easy success in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly. A disappointing field of only three lined up for the Group Two with his two rivals both being provided by Joseph O’Brien. One of those, King Of Cloughan was a Royal Ascot winner in the Windsor Castle but after his stablemate, the filly Beibhinn, dropped away, he was unable to provide any worthwhile opposition to the impressive winner. Tokaido has now won at Listed, Group Three and Group Two level for former Newmarket handler Murphy and jockey Tony Piccone, and his next start now looks likely to be in the UK. Chantilly Dominance Leads to York Target “That was amazing, obviously we wanted to see him do that and it was more like a racecourse gallop today, he’s done it well so we’re very happy,” Murphy told Sky Sports Racing. “We’re very lucky to have found him and huge thanks to the owners for sending him to me. “Sadly he’s a gelding so he can’t run in the Prix Morny so he’s going to run in the Harry’s Half Million at York (August 20).” Piccone said: “For me he is a champion because he can go in front, he can wait, he is a very easy horse and he was good today. “I didn’t know how the tactics were going to go but Amy told me to try to wait and then come when you want. “He was relaxed and the pace was not so very fast in the first 200 or 300 metres. When he came he came so easy and he won easy. I didn’t ask him the maximum and, for me, I think he could be better at seven furlongs. “When you ask him to be relaxed he relaxes. He is better on the softer ground but when a horse is good they can go on fast ground and soft ground. I’m very happy for Amy and it is a good day. “I hope I can win a Group One with him.” Johnston Raider Bounces Back in Style Charlie Johnston was rewarded for sending Jennifer Jane over for the Group Three Prix Chloe as she returned to winning ways. She was a six-length winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in May but disappointed when favourite for the Italian Oaks. Ridden confidently by Silvestre de Sousa, she held off Pierchic by three-quarters of a length.
