Rayif too good for Puerto Rico and company in Paris Rayif gained revenge on Puerto Rico as he took the shortest route to land the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp, continuing an already fine season for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. In the colours of the Aga Khan Studs, Rayif was beaten into third by Aidan O’Brien’s Group One hat-trick seeker Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in October, but it was a different story in the French 2000 Guineas on a gloomy afternoon in the Bois de Boulogne. Karl Burke’s Hankelow set the pace stalked by Puerto Rico as Mickael Barzalona hugged the rail on the 4-1 winner and bided his time before pushing the button to accelerate and sending him on, holding Andre Fabre’s fast-finishing Komorebi by a length, with Hankelow a brave third just ahead of Puerto Rico and Ryan Moore. Princess Zahra Aga Khan told Sky Sports Racing: “I wasn’t sure he would stay the distance, but he did very, very well. His older sister (Rayevka, won earlier on the card) is a sprinter and he can get a good mile. “It’s only been raining for a few hours so I assume it’s slippy, not heavy. I don’t think he’s been tried on heavy going and we’ll see, but he certainly has the speed to get through the ground. “Francis has an amazing training method. It’s amazing to watch around our training yard and Mickael has the most amazing timing. It’s lovely to see.”
