Vision lands Prince of Wales Vision D'Etat took the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot for France in a close finish with Tartan Bearer and Never On Sunday. Oliver Peslier brought Eric Libaud's four-year-old with a great run from the rear a furlong out to grab the lead inside the final furlong. The 4/1 shot was hard-pressed in the closing stages but held on by half a length from 6/4 favourite Tartan Bearer with fellow French raider Never On Sunday a head away third. Tazeez made the early running from Twice Over and Virtual with Tartan Bearer on the outside. Twice Over went on two furlongs out but he was soon strongly challenged. Peslier's patience paid off on last year's French Derby victor - without his usual tongue tie which was not declared - who came through with a powerful run. He got first run on the second and third to become the second French-trained winner in three years after Manduro in 2007. Twice Over rarely enjoys much luck in big races and having looked like winning at one stage he had to settle for fourth, beaten less than a length. Libaud said: "Of all the winners I've had in the world this is the best one. I knew it was going to being to be difficult from last place but I could see the horse was going well and Olivier had told me the straight at Ascot is long, so I was quietly confident. This is the nicest and best victory I've ever achieved." Peslier added: "I was just behind the lead. My horse is not lazy and I just took a bit of time. I needed a chance and he moved out well. The trainer told me before it was better if he came late and the race was perfect for me. He's a typical French horse. When you are one or two lengths behind it's not a big problem because he's got a good turn of foot. That was a big help for me." Sir Michael Stoute said of the runner-up: "He ran well and I'm making no excuses for him. I think a better pace would have suited all of them. He's pretty widely entered up but let's wait and see." up but let's wait and see."
