Now boasting a perfect three out of three record, Andre Fabre’s Bright Picture finished best to land yesterday’s Listed Prix Francois Mathet over 2100m at Saint-Cloud.

The three-year-old son of Intello sat in second in the early exchanges, but was headed for that place by the Aga Khan’s Calandagan (Gleneagles) just before half way. That rival looked to have made his getaway in the straight, skipping a length or so clear with 300m left to travel, but Bright Picture responded well for pressure and ground out a three-quarter-length win. Trafalgar Square (Kendargent) was some eight lengths adrift back in third.

This was a third successive victory for the gelding, but his first in Stakes company. He had opened his account over 1600m at Deauville back in October before following up at Chantilly over the same trip a month later.

Bred by the Exors of the late J P Carrington, Bright Picture was a €72,000 purchase by Wertheimer et Frere from Haras de Clairefontaine at the Arqana October Yearling Sale in 2022. He is the second winner out of the five-time winner and Gr.3-placed Excellent Art mare Lucy The Painter, a half-sister to the dual Listed victrix and Gr.3 Dahlia Stakes runner-up Harvest Queen(SpinningWorld). This is also the family of Gr.1 winners and sires North Light, Gamut, Potala Palace and Golan, as well as the Gr.2 winner and Gr.1-placed sire Saddler’s Rock.