The Newsells Park Stud bred Distant Storm was back to winning ways with a victory in Gr.3 Prix Daphnis at Deauville yesterday for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby.

The three-year-old was reappearing from a break after placing in two Guineas where he finished third in the Newmarket Classic and runner-up in the Irish equivalent.

Anchored in mid-division throughout the early stages of the mile contest, he came through the field in the last 50 metres, to win by a length.

Jockey Billy Loughnane said: “I ended up a little bit further back than ideal, he was a little bit sleepy jumping from the gate but the pace was even throughout which was ideal. Having a target to run at was great, as he’s a horse who doesn’t do too much once he’s there and he won cosily in the end. He takes a little bit of time to pick up, but when he does he’s electric to the line.

“He’s a horse who’s now relaxing super,” he added. “He got a little bit keen in the early days of his two-year-old career, but he’s racing behind the bridle and I think an extra couple of furlongs won’t go amiss.”

Charlie Appleby commented: “He hasn’t done too much wrong this season, but I felt we never really hit the straps with him in both Guineas and he needed a break. He’s done well for it and it was the plan to have pace in there and give him a target, he moved into it nicely and stepping up to ten will be the way forward with him. I do think he’ll be better on ground that’s not this quick and he might want a bit of time off after that.”

Last season as a two-year-old, Distant Storm was an impressive winner of the Gr.3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket, and finished third in the Gr.1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes to Gewan and Gstaad, and the Gr.3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes to Gewan and Italy.

Bred, raised and sold by Newsells Park Stud, Distant Storm, is by Night Of Thunder out of Date With Destiny, the only daughter of the 2,000 Guineas winner George Washington and also the dam of Group winner Beautiful Morning, dam of Group performer Life Is Beautiful. He was sold at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 to CF Bloodstock for 90,000gns. Date With Destiny’s two-year-old filly by Ghaiyyath is named Date Of Destiny.