The Revenant thrills on return to action at Saint-Cloud

Francis-Henri Graffard is hoping for another Ascot appearance for The Revenant after his impressive comeback in the Listed Prix Altipan at Saint-Cloud.

Victorious by a comfortable three lengths under Christophe Soumillon, the chestnut swept aside a field of eight with ease to prevail as the 6-5 favourite after a 145-day absence from the track. Midtown got closest to him in second.

The seven-year-old has been a regular at Ascot’s Qipco British Champions Day meeting in October, contesting the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for the past three seasons.

In 2019 he was beaten a length and a quarter by King Of Change, in 2020 he was victorious by a head and last term he was fourth of 10 runners when coming home two and a half lengths behind Baaeed.

The same race is on the gelding’s long-range radar once again this season, with a run in the Group Three Prix Edmond Blanc, an event he won in 2019, his immediate next step before the rest of his campaign is mapped out.

“I was very pleased with that,” Graffard said of his stable star’s return.

“He will go in the Group Three in three weeks’ time at Saint-Cloud and then we will go step by step with him from there.

“He’s such a nice horse, he’s strengthened over the winter, he’s seven years old so I shouldn’t say that but he has.

“He looks very well and he’s still so willing to perform, so it’s great.”

He added: “Hopefully we will return to Ascot, if the horse is well and the ground will suit him then he will be back in England this season.”