In the space of two and a half minutes at a rain-soaked ParisLongchamp, Wathnan's Best Secret (Persian King) became the operation's worst kept secret as he produced an impressive display to take the G3 Prix d'Hedouville.Sporting the second colours in the mile-and-a-half test with the ultimately disappointing Map Of Stars (Sea The Stars) also in attendance, the Stephane Wattel-trained four-year-old who registered a win in a valuable handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in July and beat the well-regarded Gethin in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Turenne in September was held up in rear after missing the break.Benefitting from the strong tempo set by the Dubai Sheema Classic runner-up West Wind Blows (Teofilo), the 15-2 shot delivered an impressive penultimate furlong of 11.22 given the testing conditions to overwhelm that even-money favourite. Cajoled to the line by Christophe Soumillon, he stayed on strongly to score by three lengths with the rest strung out behind.“The ground suited us today and the pace,” the winning rider explained. “We followed those horses easily and he won like a really good horse able to win better races. He will improve a lot from this and when it gets soft like today, he can win a Group 2 or even a Group 1.”“We've always held him in high regard,” Richard Brown said of the bargain €35,000 Arqana Deauville October purchase who was sixth in this track's G2 Prix d'Harcourt over an inadequate 10 furlongs last month. “That was impressive and Christophe was taken with him. He said that pace is important to him and that he felt up to Group 1 standard, so we'll have a go at the Hardwicke as you need to be one to win that.”“Luckily, he's one of those horses who will go on any ground and he's only going to get better with age,” he added. “His pedigree and physique suggests that–he's every bit of 17 hands. Map Of Stars was disappointing, he didn't pick up at all. That's not his true running and we'll check him out.”Much the best!Best Secret lands the Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville for Christophe Soumillon & Stephane Wattel.. pic.twitter.com/AkdhrcPvKg— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 3, 2026Sunday, ParisLongchamp, FrancePRIX D'HEDOUVILLE-G3, €73,200, ParisLongchamp, 5-3, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:32.90, vs.1–BEST SECRET (FR), 126, c, 4, by Persian King (Ire)1st Dam: Private Eye (Fr) (SW-Fr), by American Post (GB)2nd Dam: Rose Of Tralee (Fr), by Kendor (Fr)3rd Dam: Flamingo Rose (Ire), by Antheus1ST GROUP WIN. (€35,000 Ylg '23 ARQOCT). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Mme Hilary Erculiani; T-Stephane Wattel; J-Christophe Soumillon. €36,600. Lifetime Record: 10-4-1-3, €187,347. *1/2 to My Valentine (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), SP-Fr; and Private Romance (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.2–West Wind Blows (Ire), 126, g, 7, Teofilo (Ire)–West Wind (GB), by Machiavellian.TDN Rising Star. O-Abdulla Al Mansoori; B-Godolphin; T-Simon & Ed Crisford. €14,640.3–Oracle (Fr), 126, c, 4, Too Darn Hot (GB)–Ligne D'Or (GB), by Dansili (GB). O-Wertheimer et Frere; B-Dayton Investments Limited; T-Andre Fabre. €10,980.Margins: 3, 7, 4. Odds: 7.60, Evens, 6.90.Also Ran: Euboa (Fr), Map Of Stars (GB), Chestnut Rocket (Fr). The post Hardwicke Target For Wathnan’s Best Secret After Paris Romp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.