handicap rating of 95 suggested that he was about a stone below Group class. 1996: four-year-old season 1996 saw Pilsudski make the transition from handicapper to Group One winner. On his debut he started a 16/1 outsider for the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown, but belied his odds by running second to his stable companion Singspiel. A month later in the Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes over the same course and distance he recorded his first important win, beating Lucky Di by half a length. At Royal Ascot, Pilsudski was moved up to Group Two class for the Prince of Wales's Stakes for which was made 4/1 favourite and was reportedly well-fancied by his trainer. He disputed the lead until the straight, but then faded into eighth place behind First Island. It was to be the last occasion on which Pilsudski finished out of the first three. In August he was sent abroad for the first time and won the Group Three Royal Whip Stakes at The Curragh, taking the lead two furlongs out and beating I'm Supposin by one and a half lengths. in "convincing" style. It was in the Autumn of 1996 that Pilsudski first showed his best form. In September he recorded a Group One win at his first attempt, taking the lead a furlong out and staying on strongly under pressure to win the Grosser Preis von Baden by three quarters of a length. Although he was obviously improving, Pilsudski was not regarded as a serious contender for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and started at odds of just over 22/1. Ridden by Walter Swinburn Pilsudski tracked the leader Helissio throughout the race. In the straight the French colt pulled away to win easily, but Pilsudski stayed on strongly to hold on to second place ahead of numerous top class performers including Swain, Shaamit and Pentire. On his final start of the year, Pilsudski was sent to Canada for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Woodbine Racetrack. He was matched against his stable companion Singspiel, six months on from their meeting at Sandown. The rest of the European challenge included Swain and the St Leger winner Shantou, while the North American runners were headed by the local champion Chief Bearheart and Diplomatic Jet from the United States. Ridden again by Swinburn, Pilsudski raced prominently as first Diplomatic Jet and then Singspiel led. In the straight Pilsudski