a plan to run him in the Champagne Stakes was abandoned due to the unsuitably firm ground. In the Longchamp race he was held up by Reid in the early stages before making his challenge in the straight. Revoque accelerated into the lead and pulled away to win by three lengths from The West, with the odds-on favourite Zamindar in third. Immediately after the race he was offered at odds of 10/1 for the following year's 2000 Guineas. A month later, Revoque returned to Longchamp and was made odds-on favourite for the Grand Critérium. After seeming to be struggling early in the straight he stayed on strongly to take the lead inside the final furlong and win by two lengths from Majorien. After the race Chapple-Hyam praised the colt as "the best two-year-old in Europe" and added that "once this horse gets into gear it's all over". The bookmakers reacted by cutting his odds for the 2000 Guineas to 7/1. 1997: three-year-old season Before the start of the 1997 season Revoque was a supplementary entry for The Derby (he had not originally been entered the race) but he was first aimed at the 2000 Guineas. He made his debut in a recognised Guineas trial race, the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. He started favourite, but in a closely contested finish he was beaten a head by Yalaietanee, losing his unbeaten record. Despite his defeat, his connections were happy with his performance, and Revoque was sent off 100/30 favourite in the 2000 Guineas three weeks later. He broke slowly and was towards the back of the field in the early running. As the race entered the closing stages, Revoque was trapped behind horses and Reid had to switch him to the outside to find a clear run. He then made rapid progress in the last two furlongs of the race to finish second, beaten three quarters of a length by Entrepreneur Some observers considered him a rather unlucky loser. Revoque was expected to be a major contender for The Derby and looked impressive in training gallops. At The Curragh at the end of May however, he ran his first disappointing race, finishing sixth, beaten ten lengths by Desert King when favourite for the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Revoque had looked the likely winner in the straight but faded badly in the closing stages. The performance was explained when the colt was revealed to