Maxios got up in the closing strides to deny Planteur victory in the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) and Silasol won the Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-I), giving deceased sire Monsun a group I double May 26 at Longchamp.
The leading German-based sire and broodmare sire was euthanized at age 22 last September after suffering from an acute neurological disease. He last stood at Gestut Schlenderhan in Germany and has 112 stakes winners from 15 crops of racing age.
Planteur, third in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) in his previous start, pulled hard as he raced in second early, then charged past Don Bosco to lead inside the final furlong. He looked to have the race won but Maxios powered from midfield under Stephane Pasquier to seize the advantage near the finish line and prevail by a half-length.
Maxios, a half brother to 2004 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner Bago, was timed in 1:56.55 for 1,850 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on turf rated as soft.
A Niachos family homebred trained by Jonathan Pease, the 5-year-old horse has seven wins and two seconds from 15 career starts. He won the Prix d'Harcourt (Fr-II) April 7 at Longchamp in his first outing of the year and followed with a runner-up finished to Pastorius in the Prix Ganay (Fr-I) April 28 at the Parisian racecourse.
Mandour finished strongly to take third, three-quarters of a length behind Planteur. French classic-winning filly Beauty Parlour, making her first start in nearly eight months, finished sixth.
Out of the unraced Nureyev mare Moonlight's Box, Maxios' second dam is group I winner Coup de Genie, a full sister to French group I winner and sire Machiavellian and a half sister to French group I winner and sire Exit to Nowhere. Moonlight Box is a half sister to four stakes winners, including French group I winner Denebola and U.S. multiple graded stakes winner Snake Mountain.
Earlier on the card, Gerard and Alain Wertheimer's Silasol showed she will be a major threat in the Prix de Diane (Fr-I, French Oaks) in three weeks when completing a rousing last-to-first rally in the Prix Saint-Alary.
The homebred Irish-bred filly was angled out at the 400-meter mark and resolutely closed to catch runner-up Alterite on the line and win by a short head. Stablemate Ferevia finished a short neck away in third in the eight-horse field.
Ridden by Olivier Peslier, Silasol was timed in 2.10.53 for the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on turf.
Silasol capped last season with a victory on equally testing ground in the Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches (Fr-I). The Prix Saint Alary marked her second win at the group I level. She entered off a runner-up finish to Esoterique in the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-II) April 28 at Longchamp.
"It ended up being a good pace and we'd already decided with Olivier to ride a waiting race," trainer Carlos Laffon-Parais told Racing Post. "She took a little while to get going, but Olivier really grabbed hold of her and she was courageous all the way."
The Aga Khan's Siyenica, the favorite with Racing Post off a debut victory at Longchamp April 22, finished seventh.
Silasol is out the multiple U.S. stakes-winning Gulch mare Stormina, who was group II-placed in France. Second dam Brooklyn's Storm is a half sister to 2012 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner Solemia and French group II winner Prospect Park, who finished second in the 2004 Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-I, French Derby).
