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The supplemented Mqse de Sévigné overcame strong UK opposition to win the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville on Sunday.
It was the Andre Fabre-trained filly's first victory at Group 1 level, having finished runner-up on her three starts this season including in the 1m 2f Group 2 Prix Corrida.
The improvement in form could be attributed to the drop back to a mile - it was Mqse De Sevigne's first time over the shorter trip since a ninth in last year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas).
Sauterne set the early pace with UK challenger Remarquee set to pounce alongside Jessica Harrington's Sounds Of Heaven.
As the field entered the final two furlongs, Alexis Pouchin was still sitting quietly on Mqse De Sevigne, before switching the filly to the outside to make a run to give the jockey his first Group One success.
Godolphin's Life In Motion came with a challenge along the inside rail but Mqse De Sevigne showed a game attitude to hold off her stable mate by a head.
Early leader, the consistent Sauterne held on for third with Remarquee best of the U.K. runners in fourth. Tom Clover's Rogue Millennium finished a further two lengths behind in fifth.
The victory was particularly notable as Mqse de Sevigny is owned and bred by the Rothchild family, who the race is named after.
Edouard Rothschild, current Chairman of France-Galop, accepted the winners' trophy from his son.
It was a good start to the Deauville Summer Meeting for the French, with domestic trained runners filling the first three positions.