Dylan Thomas scores two-length victory

Dylan Thomas served notice that he will be a major force in Europe and the world this year with a handy 2-length score in the $409,000 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on Sunday.

Group 1 victories don't come much easier than they did this day for Dylan Thomas, although it must be said that he was beating what appears to be a Group 2 field in the 1 5/16-mile Ganay. Never worse than fourth, the 4-year-old son of Danehill was trapped briefly entering the 2-1/2-furlong stretch but rallied to lead 150 yards from the line under a sitting-chilly ride from Christophe Soumillon. Last August's Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville winner Irish Wells was second, three quarters of a length in front of Doctor Dino with recent Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt winner Boris de Deauville a head further back in fourth. The winning time for the 2-5 favorite was 2:07.90 on good ground.

Dylan Thomas had returned from a 6-month layoff since his dull last-place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when winning the listed 1 1/4-mile Alleged Stakes at Leopardstown two weeks ago. The Ganay is his third Group 1 triumph as he had accounted for both the Irish Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes last year. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is sure to keep him on turf this season with a tilt at the 1 1/4-mile Prince of Wales's Stakes and at Royal Ascot, where he might run into Friday's Gordon Richards Stakes winner Red Rocks, his likely next start on June 20.