Andy Holding gives us a preview of the return of French racing
9.55
It goes without saying, fitness is going to be one of the biggest factors in determining the outcome in most of these races since the Coronavirus put an end to all the fun back in March, so the best policy is to employ a degree of caution for those seeking to have a bet on the first day back since the restart. Several of the races appear tricky – particularly the handicaps unless you are up to speed on the French form - so let’s take a look at some of the better races.
The first contest, however, does offer up some reliable form lines for UK punters, most predominately the Prix De L’Abbeye, run over today’s C&D last October. Gold Vibe came out best of those in this afternoon’s heat, finishing a creditable sixth of the 16-strong field and he should go well again providing he’s fit enough to do himself justice following a 218-day layoff. Pascal Bary’s seven-year-old is well suited by today’s stiff five-furlongs, as his record here of 22436 testifies, and he’s also a fairly reliable in this grade.
He may, however, struggle up uphold form with the seventh-placed horse in the Group 1 six months ago, Sestilio Jet, who easily came out best of those drawn on the wide outside 218 days ago (stall 14). Dropped out and still last with two furlongs to race at the Paris-based track, the son of French Fifteen came home with plenty of purpose to finish just behind the main players and a run of a similar level now he is housed in a better stall (2) should see him play a more prominent role.
Duhail looks an interesting runner on his return to action being one of the most unexposed members of the line-up, it is just a question of whether he might find today’s minimum trip on the short side. Doing all his best work at the finish at Deauville over six-furlongs when last seen 304 days ago, Andre Fabre’s gelding left the distinct impression that he requires further to be seen at his best, so it will be intriguing to see how he gets on this afternoon and what avenue he goes down for the rest of the season thereafter. It’s also worth pointing out that he has been blessed with the draw today, so that has to be seen as a positive if nothing else.
There’s no doubt We Go will be the fittest runner in the field as he was being lined up for a tilt at the six-furlong all-weather championship final at Lingfield prior to that fixture being cancelled due to Coronavirus. On a crest of a wave based on his two victories before his date at the Surrey venue, the four-year-old also has form tied up with the likes of Duhail and Gold Vibe on their clash at Deauville back in July and this pacey sort looks like the drop back in trip may suit him given the way he travels through his races. Batwan and Ken Colt are the other two to consider but they have been posted in the two outside stalls so life will be tough for the pair to figure.
11.55
Make no mistake, this is no Mickey Mouse meeting to kick off proceedings at the Paris track and the first of their recognised Guineas trials, The Prix De Fontainbleau may turn out to have some sort of bearing on several big events further down the line.
All eyes will no doubt be on Victor Ludorum, who rounded off last season with a workmanlike victory in Prix Lagardere over today’s C&D on ‘Arc’ day last October. Impressive in his two previous wins, Andre Fabre’s colt proved he has a big heart to match his undoubted class by wearing down his rivals to take the Group 1 prize close home and with his versatility regards ground conditions rubber-stamped that day, he remains a colt who we should be hearing a good deal about as the season progresses. Back in behind him 218 days ago was Helter Skelter and while it would be ambitious to say he will definitely turn the form around with his more illustrious rival, there is a fair chance he can finish a good deal closer this time around. Failing to settle in the early stages of what turned out to be a slowly-run affair at the Paris-based venue, Jean-Claude Rouget’s colt came home with an incredible amount of purpose considering how much petrol he must have burnt in the early exchanges, so it’s easy to upgrade his performance as a result. Providing they go a better gallop here this afternoon, it is hard to see the son of Wootton Bassett not finishing in the frame if his wellbeing can be guaranteed.
Based on his effort against the aforementioned pair, Ecrivain has plenty to find with his old rivals strictly on the evidence of that race 218 days ago, so it may be best to concentrate on the trio who met in the listed Prix Omnium Stakes at Saint-Cloud as recently as March and discuss their claims. Pisanello just came out on top of a protracted dual with The Summit at the Paris track, so it should turn out to be an interesting rematch between the pair again. Strictly at the prices, the latter appears the better option considering he didn’t get the clearest of runs and with the ‘dead eight’ set to go to post, it’s easy to fashion a case for him at 25-1. Memory Dream turned out to be a bitter disappointment having been sent off 5-4 favourite to back up his two previous wins, but on the evidence of his display that day, he looked like he simply got found out in pattern company and is likely to do so again.
12.25
This fillies classic trial brings together a whole host of potentially useful sorts to the party and it will probably boil down to which stables have their horses more forward than others. A yard likely to have their inmates fairly close to peak fitness – as he trains close to the track - is the one of Freddy Head and his representative here, Khayzaraan, rates one of the most eagerly-anticipated runners on the entire card. Hugely impressive when landing her maiden at Deauville back in August, the daughter of Kingman replicated that performance in a deeper contest at Chantilly in her final start of the campaign and she looks a filly of some substance. The feature of both her two wins has been her ability to quicken sharply when asked to go about her work and given how the races often pan out in France, she has all the necessary tools to prove herself in pattern company.
Having trained the runner-up to Khayzaraan at Deauville, Andre Fabre will have a fair idea what is required to topple one of the market leaders with his representative Tropbeau. Already well-established at pattern level, the daughter of Showcasing rounded off her two-year-old campaign with a fine effort when third in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket and considering where she was at halfway, a place on the podium had to be seen as a fair return. Likely to be well suited a step up to a mile based on the evidence at HQ and on her three previous wins over seven furlongs, Tropbeau probably just about deserves to be at the head of the market and a race of this nature should be well within her capabilities if fully wound up.
1.05
Jean Claude Rouget has wasted no time at all in sending out his stable star Sottsass to do battle on the opening day of the new season and if running to form, the four-year-old should prove very difficult to beat. His fine third in the Arc was the culmination of an excellent campaign that also included a victory in the Group 1 French Derby at Chantilly and it simply just has to be a case of whether the son of Siyouni is sharp enough over today’s 1m2f trip on his first outing in 218 days.
The obvious threat in terms of pure quality stems from Shaman who was good enough to finish runner-up in the French 2000 Guineas this time last season. Although he failed to register a success in four subsequent outings, three of the four attempts were at Group 1 level against the older horses, so there are excuses to be made. A winner on both his two previous seasonal debuts, the son of Shamardal clearly comes to hand early and, with today’s extra two furlongs set to suit, he looks a decent each-way alternative to the red-hot favourite.
