Internaute stars for Christopher Head at Saint-Cloud

The regally-bred Internaute looks set have his sights raised following an impressive stable debut for Christopher Head at Saint-Cloud on Thursday.

A son of two Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners in Sea The Stars and Solemia, the four-year-old won one of his six starts for Carlos Laffon-Parias before his retirement at the end of 2024.

Making his first appearance since finishing fifth in the Grand Prix de Paris in July, Internaute dropped to Listed class and quickened up smartly to score by three lengths under Maxime Guyon, with Karl Burke’s British raider Al Qareem in third.

Head said: “He was very impressive and I really want to thank the Wertheimer brothers (owners). Carlos did a tremendous job training him last year and I was so pleased to have him come to us that I really wanted him to have the best career for this year.

“We need to talk to the owners of course before we confirm something in public, but I think he will go to Deauville for his next race.

“He is a very nice horse with a very nice temperament and it’s been a pleasure to see him run this way. I can’t wait to raise a glass in his name!”

The Chantilly handler also has big plans for Danara, who made a successful start to her career earlier in the afternoon.

Also by Sea The Stars, the Nurlan Bizakov-owned three-year-old is seen as potentially a type for the French Oaks.

Head added: “She was working very well in the morning so we were expecting a lot from her.

“She has produced a very nice race, she was far behind but she has done such a good job and it was really impressive from our point of view.

“We will run her in a month at Saint-Cloud again and then speak to the owner about whether we could expect her to run in the Prix de Diane or if we go up in distance, because she’s looking like she could go a little bit further.”