Although trained in France throughout his career, his most notable achievements came in Britain: he was narrowly beaten in the 1956 Epsom Derby and won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the following year.
[2] Apart from Montaval, Ballynash produced the successful racehorse and sire Mourne and the filly Petite Sanguenay, the grand-dam of Pawneese.
[5] The fact that the first two horses were trained in France, following on from the victory of Phil Drake in the previous year, led some commentators to state that British racing had "hit rock bottom.".
[6] Montaval ran poorly in the Grand Prix de Paris a month later but showed better form in his two remaining races that year, both of which came at Deauville Racecourse in August.
Montaval started a 20/1 outsider in a field of twelve runners, only three of which were trained in Britain following the withdrawal of the Epsom Derby winner Crepello.