Dominant performance from Blackbeard at Chantilly | Racing News

Blackbeard led home stablemate The Antarctic to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with a one-two in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly.

Unbeaten in his first three starts before finishing fourth when favourite for the Coventry at Royal Ascot, Blackbeard was last seen being beaten just a short head by Shartash in the Railway Stakes.

Turning out three weeks later, the No Nay Never colt was the 10-11 favourite to claim Group Two honours at the third attempt and ultimately did so in fine style in the hands of Ioritz Mendizabal.

Having challenged Belbek for the lead from the off, Blackbeard asserted his authority inside the last of six furlongs to win comfortably.

His stablemate The Antarctic, who finished a close-up third in a Listed contest at Tipperary on his previous start, made late gains under Mickael Barzalona to finish best of the rest in second, three lengths adrift.

O’Brien’s was winning the Prix Robert Papin for only the second time, with his first victory provided by the Mick Kinane-ridden Rossini in 1999.