HE saw, he came, he conquered.

Post war history was made at Salisbury today when a French horse won at the track for the first time, emphatically taking the Sovereign Stakes, the most valuable race of the season.

It had been ten years since a French raider ran there, only to finish unplaced in the listed Upavon Stakes, the other highlight of their two day August meeting.

The most surprising aspect of the race was that Plumatic was allowed to start as second favourite at 3/1.

He had run in last year's Derby and Arc and this season had performed creditably against the high class Recoletos who was recently bustled up Jessica Harrington's brilliant filly Alpha Centauri.

A cosy win over a mile at Chantilly persuaded the yard to run the four-year-old at Salisbury.

Connections had been somewhat perturbed in the change of going following the morning deluge but jockey Maxime Guyon walked part of the track to dispel their fears.

Trainer Andre Fabre, who was not at the track, has now trained winners at 11 different courses in England.

Guyon tracked the yet again disappointing Guineas fourth Elarqam before making his move two furlongs out.

"My horse was very relaxed and when he is like that, he has a very good turn of foot. We now what he is better off at this distance."

Trainer Mark Johnson reported Elarqam, fourth in the 2,000 Guineas, was hanging throughout.

"Something is bothering him. He walks around the paddock like a lamb but he gets edgy at the start seeing the starting stalls and gets into a sweat. Jim (Crowley) said he was never happy with him and we will take him home and think again."

The remaining riding of the honours of the day belonged to Oisin Murphy who landed a four timer, taking him past his best season's score of 127.

"It's absolutely fantastic. Andrew Balding has been very loyal and good to me. It's great to ride another winner for him and his horses are flying."

He was speaking after Highland Pass took the one mile handicap on Highland Pass and the yard then gained another winner with Lorelina in the 12 furlong race.

His winning spree began on Concello who had to battle hard to land the auction fillies race. Trainer Archie Watson will run her in another novice race before elevating into better company at either the Rockfel at Newmarket or the Radley at Newbury.

"She's a lovely filly, still green and raw but she's got quality and a bit of scope. I rate her quite highly, she is amongst my better fillies and can only improve."

Ironically another winner Belated Breath nearly did not run. Trainer Hughie Morrison eventually opted to run her at Salisbury on the basis of the forecast that Nottingham would get more rain which would better suit Poet's Princess. As the way with the British climate, it received considerably less!

The frankel colt Rise Hall has been a bit of a rogue on the track but was totally transformed by the application of blinkers who saw him run out a nine length winner at 20/1.

Jockey Callum Shepherd explained: "His attitude has been poor but he has had the headgear on at him at him and it has improved him. I don't think the soft ground had anything to do with it today. He put some effort into it and was a different horse in the headgear. He travelled well and hopefully will go on from here."