National Defense powers to Lagardere glory National Defense produced a dominant front-running display to claim the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Chantilly. Criquette Head-Maarek's juvenile bolted up on his Deauville debut in August, but after being beaten into third place in a Group Three over this course and distance last month, he was a 5-1 shot stepped up to the highest level. Pierre-Charles Boudot sent his mount straight into a lead he never looked like relinquishing in the straight, finding another gear to leave his rivals trailing in his wake. The sole British representative, Sylvester Kirk's Salouen, ran an excellent race to fill the runner-up spot. Aidan O'Brien's Whitecliffsofdover was third, but his stable companion Utah was well beaten. Head-Maarek has endured a tough time with her yard this season and was delighted to be back at the top on Arc day, a meeting at which she enjoyed so much success with the mighty Treve. She said: "We have had a terrible year as the horses were sick for a long time. But they are coming back to themselves now and we knew this one had a good chance. "He has a huge action and he likes to gallop. He could be a Guineas horse." Kirk, though, was left frustrated, despite the big run of Salouen. He said: "Unless I'm reading it wrong the winner's got into a soft lead and set his own fractions and stolen a march on them. "I'm disappointed because I came here expecting my colt to win. "He's in the Racing Post Trophy but has had a long old season, so we'll have to see."
