The opening Group race of the French season gave Algarve Bloodstock's Barry Root some early success when SAMANDO (Hernando ex Samshu) crowned a gutsy performance in very heavy going with a narrow victory in the Group 3 Prix Exbury at Saint Cloud, to add to her excellent Group 2 victory at Longchamp last October. SAMSHU, who was not covered in 2004, is due to visit HERNANDO again shortly.

Samando's three year-old half-brother, by SENDAWAR, is in training with Henri-Alex Pantall in France, and is expected to make his racecourse debut quite soon.