Dream result for Byzantine followers in Foy

Byzantine Dream strengthened Japan’s hand for the the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with a convincing win in the hands of Oisin Murphy in the Qatar Prix Foy.

Japanese contenders are famously yet to conquer Europe’s richest middle-distance prize with Orfevre’s near miss in 2012 the closest the raiders from the Far East have come to getting their hands on the trophy at ParisLongchamp.

However, compatriot Alohi Alii has already stated his claims when blitzing the field in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano last month, while Japanese Derby winner Croix Du Nord is also on course for the French capital on October 5.

Now Byzantine Dream can also add his name to the mix after being shortened to 12-1 for the Arc by Paddy Power, with Coral going even shorter at 8-1 after his dress rehearsal in Paris.

Second in the Tenno Sho when last seen, the Tomoyasu Sakaguchi-trained four-year-old was successfully ridden by Murphy when winning the Red Sea Turf in Saudi Arabia in February, and his proven stamina came to the fore here to finish strongly and edge out Andre Fabre’s Sosie.

Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: “He broke well but the one beside him stumbled and I actually clipped a heel for a stride, but he relaxed immediately and the pace wasn’t super fast and I was able to get on the back of Maxime Guyon (on Sosie).

“He doesn’t do an awful lot in front and in Saudi Arabia he ran around, so I just thought I would hopefully get there hands and heels and if he wasn’t winning today it would set him up perfectly for the big race (Arc).”

He went on: “I wasn’t concerned about dropping back in distance as I think he is a weak stayer over extended distances and has a very good turn of foot. He beat a high-class field today but he does want fast ground.

“He was a lot heavier today and you would notice the crest in his neck is much thicker. He obviously hasn’t run since May and he just did two kind of nice bits of work without anything being difficult in the build-up to this.

“He’s probably quite a light-framed horse who doesn’t need graft and I would hope he could be an even better horse come Arc weekend provided he gets his preferred conditions.”