Dettori mount just edged out

Lend a hand failed by a neck to give Frankie Dettori a third consecutive victory since his return to race-riding when edged out by Bold Edge in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville yesterday.

With the Henry Candy-trained Gorse third and Tim Easterby's Hot Tin Roof fourth, Dane O'Neill's mount led a clean sweep for the British-trained horses in the six-and-a-half furlong race.

Lend A Hand, trying to win the £50,000 prize for the second year running for Godolphin following Diktat's win 12 months ago, looked like achieving it when smartly moving up to challenge on the inside over a furlong out.

However O'Neill, who had dashed Bold Edge into an early lead, had a little bit left in the tank to fend off the Godolphin challenger with Gorse one and a half lengths back in third.

Dettori said: "I briefly thought I had it won but the other horse was meeting us at better weights today and he proved just too strong."

Bold Edge was gaining revenge on Lend A Hand, having finished behind him on his last three starts, latterly when the pair were third and fourth in the Cork & Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Meanwhile, Godolphin flagbearer Dubai Millennium is being monitored after an operation on his fractured leg yesterday. A statement on the Dubai-based operation's website said that yesterday morning the horse had been transported from Moulton Paddocks to Beaufort Cottage Equine Hospital to undergo surgery for: "a right hind lateral condylar fracture. The surgery was performed by Dr Dan Hawkins, who was assisted by Dr Richard Payne and the surgical support staff of Rossdale and Partners.

"The fracture was a complicated displaced fracture and was repaired using internal fixation (three screws). An optimal anatomical reduction was achieved. The horse is being monitored post-operatively and will be discharged as soon as possible to Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket."

The four-year-old sustained the injury when working on the gallops at Newmarket on Saturday.