Kinane just pipped on Polaris Flight

MICHAEL KINANE went within a whisker of creating a big upset on Polaris Flight in Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly yesterday, as the Pascal Bary second string, Ragmar, just held the last ditch effort of the British trained runner.

Kinane subsequently objected to the winner on the grounds that Ragmar had come across him in the last 300 yards, but the protest was overruled by the stewards.

Despite Ragmar's wanderings demotion would have been very harsh, although Kinane believed he had a good case. "The winner has come right under my nose and I would have won in another stride, " he said.

Ragmar, a 93-10 chance, made good headway from towards the rear of the field to lead inside the final quarter mile. However, the panorama in an exciting cut and thrust race was to change very quickly, with Ragmar all out to contain Polaris Flight and another strong finishing longshot, Le Destin, by a nose and short neck.

Gerald Mosse, winning the race for the second time in three years as were Bary and owner Jean Louis Bouchard, said: "Ragmar was very relaxed, and consequently I was able to cover him up towards the rear and come with a big run in the straight. He is certainly as good as Celtic Arms, the 1994 hero.

Bouchard, who bought Ragmar privately from Georges Sandor, favours bypassing the Grand Prix de Paris with the son of Tropular, in favour of an autumn campaign.

The race was littered with disappointments and hot favourite, Helissio, did his cause no favours by pulling hard. He dead heated for fifth, whereas the Bary first string, Arbatax, "ran out of gas" according to Cash Asmussen.

Godolphin's Don Micheletto ran a nice race in fourth without threatening, whereas John Reid, rider of the Chapple Hyam first string, said: "High Baroque (ninth) could have done with less sting in the ground.

Chapple Hyam had to undergo medical treatment after feeling unwell, but he reportedly later made a satisfactory recovery.

There was no luck for the Irishgas the James Burns filly, Sagar Pride, third in the French 1,000 Guineas last time, finished fifth in the one mile Group Three Prix de Sandringham won by the Frankie Dettori ridden Sensation.