Visindar impressive in Prix Greffulhe

Visindar passed his Epsom Derby test with flying colors at Saint-Cloud on Monday as he cruised to an easy 4-length victory in the 1 1/4-mile Group 2 Prix Greffulhe.

Now unbeaten and unchallenged after three career starts, the Aga Khan's son of Sinndar will now try to give trainer Andre Fabre his first taste of victory in the 1 1/2-mile Epsom classic on June 3.

The previously undefeated Onerous rallied with Visindar from the back of the six-runner field but could not keep pace through the final furlong. Christophe Soumillon had himself a rocking chair ride on the 1-5 Visindar, who was making his first start in group race company. His Fabre-trained uncoupled stablemate Bremen, a short head second to French Derby hopeful Gentlewave in the Group 2 Prix Noailles in April, failed to run up to form in finishing fifth, 6-3/4 lengths behind the very impressive winner.

Visindar, whose sire Sinndar won both the Epsom and Irish Derbies in 2000, is now William Hill's 2-1 favorite for the Epsom Derby. He could be joined there by stablemate Linda's Lad, who was the winner on Saturday of the 1 7/16-mile Group 3 Lingfield Derby Trial. The last French horse to win the Epsom Derby was Nelson Bunker Hunt's Maurice Zilber-trained Empery in 1976.