Marchand d'Or repeats at Deauville

Marchand d'Or successfully defended his Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest title at Deauville on Sunday on a day that saw Macleya outgame three rivals to prevail in a blanket finish in the Group 2 Prix de Pomone.

Trained by Freddie Head and ridden by Davy Bonilla, Marchand d'Or came late at 3.60-1 to catch the 8-5 favorite, British invader Dutch Art, in the $345,000 Maurice de Gheest. Last of 13 at the quarter pole, Marchand d'Or, a gelded Marchand de Sable 4-year-old, rallied wide to defeat the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Dutch Art by a length, with 57-1 longshot Silver Touch third. The time for the straight 6 1/2 furlongs on good ground was a quick 1:14.90. Dutch Art and Marchand d'Or are expected to meet again on Sept. 8 in England in the six-furlong Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup.

Only a head separated Macleya, Pearl Sky, and the George Strawbridge-owned entry of Montare and Kankakee in the 1 9/16-mile $179,000 Pomone. The 4.80-1 winner, a German-bred trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by Stephane Pasquier, outdueled her rivals to win by a short head, with a pair of noses separating the next three. Macleya will now be considered for both the Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park on Sept. 29 and the E.P. Taylor at Woodbine on Oct. 21.