Jump to User Comments Total Gallery maintained British trainers' good record in the Prix de L'Abbaye as Johnny Murtagh led home a British-trained one-two-three at Longchamp on Sunday.

Trained by Stan Moore, the three-year-old had finished second twice at Group 3 level, most recently when behind Strike The Deal in the Dubai Duty Free World Trophy at Newbury.

With 16sprinters lining up the pace was always likely to be fierce, and so it proved with field setting off at breakneck speed.

Equiano, Sohraab and Strike Up The Band were all disputing the lead through the early stages, with Tom Queally sat in midfield on 11-8 favourite Fleeting Spirit.

As the race approached the final stages, Johnny Murtagh got a dream split on 10-1 chance Total Gallery against the rail, and hit the front, with Borderlescott and Fleeting Spirit in hot pursuit.

The first run proved crucial, as Neil Callan was forced to snatch up Borderlescott at a critical point, or face running into the back of the eventual winner.

As the winning post loomed, Queally and Fleeting Spirit made up ground with a sustained challenge against the rail, but had to settle for second, with 6-1 shot War Artist claiming third on the line from Benbaun.

Winning trainer Stan Moore said: "he won a Listed race at the start of the year and we decided to lay him out for the Abbaye, hoping to finish in the first four as it's a tough race for three-year-olds.

"He's just improved and improved, we thought the ground might be a bit too quick, but he's proved there that he's pretty awesome.

"We nearly had a great day last week with Lady Darshaan and that's a half-sister to this lad so the mare is good. Johnny Murtagh said coming in this is the best horse he's ridden from his father [Namid]. He said he would be awesome horse next year which we always thought.

"I would say that would be him for a while. We will have to do a game plan but the world is his oyster."

The Breeders' Cup is on the agenda for Fleeting Spirit, as Paul Roy, part-owner, said: "She is so game but she is unlucky. I think she lost the race at the start. She gave herself too much to do and I didn't ever think she would make up the ground, but it happens.

"I'd now like to take on the boys in the main Breeders' Cup Sprint. I think she's the best sprinter in Europe, so it would be good to take on the Americans and try to become world champion."

Third-placed War Artist could next head to Hong Kong,as trainer James Eustace said: "He ran a great race. It is a fairly sharp five and it is fast ground and you need to be a specialist but he is probably better over six on fast ground.

"He possibly didn't get a great run in the middle of the race but I think one or two didn't.

"I think he will go to Hong Kong now - that's what we had always planned as long as he ran well here and came out of it okay. He is a relatively fresh horse because he didn't run early because of the problems he had.

"Sadly there is nothing to run him in in between so I might have to organise a racecourse gallop or something."

The unlucky Borderlescott could also take in Hong Kong, as trainer Robin Bastiman said:

"Neil Callan said that a critical time when he was moving on a horse closed him up - he can't run over the top of them, can he? It was just unfortunate.

"He was staying on and just getting into gear but it is such a fast five. I am not saying he would have won but it has cost him a place. The horse seemed okay, there were no bumps on him. Hong Kong is still a possibility, we will see what the owners think."