Smash third in France Richard Fahey's season shows no signs of slowing down as Donjuan Triumphant ran away with the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte. Won 12 months ago by Tim Easterby's Mattmu, this time it was another raider from the north of England who took the Group Two spoils. Jim Bolger's Smash Williams was sent off favourite bringing an unbeaten two-race record into the six-furlong contest, but Kevin Manning was niggling away from halfway behind the pace set by Jamie Spencer on Kevin Ryan's Mont Kiara, with Log Out Island not far behind. Ridden by Alexis Badel, Donjuan Triumphant was settled in the rear before making his move just before the final furlong. Despite the rise in grade and quick turnaround after winning a Listed race at York last weekend, Donjuan Triumphant looked a cut above his rivals and streaked clear. Smash Williams lost second in the shadows of the post to the outsider Dressed In Fur, who was under pressure some way out. It was a 249/1 across-the-Channel treble for Fahey, whose Curtain Call (4/1) won the opener at Haydock to keep Jack Garritty on the tail of Tom Marquand in the battle for the Stobart Apprentice Jockeys Championship. Garritty trailed by three heading into Friday's action but soon narrowed the gap to two and then one, as Balance made a winning debut in the second race at Haydock. Again trained by Fahey, the daughter of Pivotal quickened nicely when asked and landed a few bets in the process, winning as a well-backed 4/1 chance.
