There are all kinds of second places in racing. There are honourable seconds, like Final Objective’s in the Gimcrack. Then there are agonising seconds, like French Duke’s in this prestigious 12f handicap. Keen early and wider on the track than might be ideal, he made rapid headway mid-race to overtake stable companion Ernst Blofeld (who had himself travelled kindly to this point, and perhaps looked the likelier of our pair) but could never quite get on terms with the winner, Plage de Havre, who started his run just in front and stayed there – just. French Duke crossed the line a nose behind his rival, millimetres. His misfortune was not quite having his head down at the moment the camera shutter snapped closed on the photofinish. A mighty performance by horse, rider and trainer, which did not gain its rightful reward.

Another of the valuable festival handicaps – puzzles designed to be fiendishly tricky to solve. This is over the Classic distance of 12f and features French Duke, a winner for us at the Qatar Goodwood Festival of 2024, before rediscovering winning ways when transferred to the Dubai yard of Hamad Al-Jehani last winter. Out of the places in his most recent few starts, he’s slipped back down to his last winning mark of 97, which gives him a chance. He’s the choice of retained rider James Doyle. Hamad also runs Ernst Blofeld, the full-brother to our Qatar Derby hero Jeff Koons and a son of York legend, Frankel. Lightly raced, and yet to win on turf, he has a progressive profile and might enjoy the rain-softened turf almost as much as he does the all-weather surfaces on which he has won twice.