First Sitting scores in Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club

First Sitting won the first group stakes of his career in Tuesday’s Group 3 Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club at Deauville, France, beating a field that included Almanzor, the top-rated horse in Europe in 2016.

First Sitting, a 6-1 shot ridden by Gerald Moose, won the $94,400 race at 1 1/4 miles on turf by three-quarters of a length over 11-2 Garlingari. Almanzor, unraced since winning the British Champions Stakes at Ascot last October, finished in a dead heat for fifth in a field of six, beaten 3 3/4 lengths.

Almanzor won the 2016 French Derby, but had his first start of the year postponed by fever and physical issues.

First Sitting is a 6-year-old gelding by Dansili who is trained in England by Chris Wall. First Sitting has won six races, including a minor stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in May.

Also at Deauville on Tuesday, Eminent, fourth in the English Derby on June 3, won the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornaro for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles. Brametot, who won the French 2000 Guineas and French Derby in the spring, could only finish fifth as the 13-10 favorite.

Almanzor and Brametot are trained by Jean-Claude Rouget.

Eminent led through the $472,000 Prix Guillaume d’Ornaro under jockey Ryan Moore to win by three lengths over Salouen, a 25-1 outsider in a field of eight.

Trained by Martyn Meade, Eminent has won 3 of 6 starts.