Siyouni stunned by stablemate at Longchamp

An Aga Khan horse crossed the line first in the Group 3, $107,000 Prix de Fontainebleau at Longchamp on Sunday, but it was not the one who had been expected.

Rajsaman led throughout as the pacesetter for highly regarded Group 1 winner Siyouni and held off his entrymate by a half-length. The winning time for the mile on good ground was 1:39.36.

The Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained duo was sent off as the 4-5 favorite in a field of seven. Thierry Jarnet did as instructed with Rajsaman, but Rajsaman forgot to stop, opening a clear lead at the eighth pole. Siyouni was finishing fastest of all under Gerald Mosse but could not catch the winner. Makani, an A.P. Indy half brother to Arc winner Bago, faded to fourth, 4 1/2 lengths behind Rajsaman.

Royer-Dupre said he was not too displeased with the result and feels Siyouni will exact his revenge in the French 2000 Guineas on May 16. Rajsaman's best previous effort had been a win in the listed, one-mile Criterium de Lyon in September.

Godolphin was the big winner of the two other classic preps at Longchamp on Sunday, but neither was trained by Saeed bin Suroor or his new Newmarket partner, Mahmoud Al Zarooni. Anna Salai, who took the French 1000 Guineas trial, the one-mile Group 3 Prix de la Grotte, is trained by Andre Fabre, as is Simon de Montfort, winner of the French Derby prep, the 1 1/4-mile Group 3 Prix La Force.

A daughter of Dubawi out of Group 3 Prix d'Aumale winner Anna Palariva, Anna Salai rallied from well behind under Maxime Guyon to lead at the sixteenth pole for a 1 1/2-length victory at 8.60-1. The 68-1 Gotlandia was second, three-quarters of a length in front of the the Aga Khan's Rosanara, who was sent off as the 1.30-1 favorite by dint of her win in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac over the Grotte course and distance Oct. 4. Anna Salai, who overcame a wide draw in 12, was timed in 1:38.33 for the mile.

The 4.20-1 Simon de Montfort, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, came from last of eight to win the Prix La Force by a neck over the 9-1 Pain Perdu. Circumvent, a British invader who won the Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon, finished third, three-quarters of a length farther back at 6-1. The winning time was 2:07.12.

Simon de Montfort, a King's Best colt, had prepped for this race with a win in the listed 1 1/4-mile Prix Francois Mathet on April 4 on heavy ground at Saint-Cloud. He is being aimed at the French Derby on June 6.

Pain Perdu would have to be supplemented for the 1 5/16-mile classic. He is owned by American Margaret Ferguson, and his trainer, Nicolas Clement, hinted he could eventually wind up on this side of the Atlantic.