Our racing expert has two tips from Chantilly.
10:00
Celestin created a huge impression when landing a listed prize at Toulouse on his final start of last campaign and he’d be pretty tough to beat against a similar field if straight after his 184-day break. The way he quickened and powered clear in the closing stages at the Occitania track pointed towards a colt who not only has plenty of raw talent, but one who could also thrive with another year under his belt, and with the Christophe Soumillon reunited in the saddle, the son of Dabirsim rates a strong choice down the front end of the market under ideal conditions.
Coronado Beach has a similar graph to the favourite, having won his last two starts of the season as a two-year-old and he, too, has the potential to make into a useful colt at three. Picked up by current connections after winning a claimer at Deauville back in August, the son of Toronado duplicated that success when responding well for pressure on his return to the same venue two months later and it’s just a question of whether he can handle today’s surface at the first time of asking (most of his sire’s offspring tend to like fast ground).
Moshadid responded well to the first-time visor when getting off the mark at the fourth attempt in a maiden over today’s course in March and that victory should have given him plenty of confidence going forward. Whether he can translate the level of form he showed that day back on grass is open to question and for that reason, a tentative approach maybe the best advice.
Winwood has to be respected given his connections, but he will have to do better than his opening gambit when well held on soft ground at Deauville, while both Rock Chop and Reshabar will have to improve on what they’ve achieved so far to figure.
10:30
SIMEEN (best price 5-4) did all that was asked of her in her two victories last season and she makes the most appeal of today’s field going forward. A big, scopey filly who covers the ground well, her sharp turn of foot has been the feature of both displays and hailing from a yard that got off the mark for the campaign at Saint-Cloud yesterday, hope is high this promising daughter of Lope De Vega can keep up the good work.
Despite the lurking presence of Simeen, there’s no doubt Bionic Woman sets the standard having finish fourth in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on Arc day. That said, Andre Fabre’s (1-17 with runners so far) filly didn’t appear overly in love with the soft ground at the Paris-based track that afternoon, so it remains to be seen whether she can cope with a sturdier model in the shape of Jean-Claude Rouget’s inmate on her seasonal return. Jessely is the only other one with pattern form courtesy of her runner-up spot in a listed contest at Maisons-Laffitte (UK-based Guildsman fifth), but she would probably need the front two in the market to be a little short of the mark first time out in order to score.
12:30
Several promising types on show in this conditions event, none more so than MARBLING (best price 11-4) who created a favourable impression on her debut at Compiegne last season. Well-fancied in the market, Andre Fabre’s filly looked like she was about to justify her position in the market when sweeping to the front two out, but her propensity to lean over the far side fence cost her valuable ground and momentum and in the end she just got run out of the argument close home. Clearly the best horse on the day until greenness intervened, the daughter of Kingman is likely to know a good bit more this time around and she rates one of the leading contenders.
Ayaad found the necessary improvement from his debut to score at the second time of asking on the all-weather at Deauville and he looks another one to add to the list of possibilities. A pacey-looking sort, the son of Kingman brings a touch of quality to proceedings and he should put up a bold show if handling the easy underfoot conditions.
JuliusJuluiusson found disappointing little for pressure when a well-beaten favourite on his final outing of the season and will need to show a better attitude on his return to action, while the same applies to Hurricane Ivor who bombed out big time when favourite to land a Group 3 here almost a year ago.
13:12
Wanaway showed dramatic improvement from winning a claimer at Maisons-Laffitte in October to landing a listed prize over today’s course when last seen and it’s just a case of whether her performance levels can be stretched even further. Seemingly a more reliable conveyance since the visor was applied, Pascal Bary’s filly has a clear chance of providing her in-form handler with his third winner in as many days.
Wooded rates an intriguing contender on his return to the fray and a race of this nature looks well within his range. Unsuited by the way the race panned out on his final start of last season behind the smart King’s Command in the Group 3 Prix Thomas Byron at Deauville, the Wootton Bassett colt – who has exclusively raced over seven-furlong until now – looks just the type who will be well-suited by a drop back in trip. Major contender.
Alocasia has been off the track since running respectably in a Group 2 at Maisons-Laffitte back in October, but he has enough solid form against some useful two-year-olds to warrant respect if close to peak fitness. Indeed, her runner-up effort behind Tropbeau was advertised by her conqueror at Longchamp two days ago and today’s conditions over the six-furlong trip should turn out to be ideal.
Abama chased home Wanaway over today’s C&D when last seen back in March and has been handed a better draw 61 days on, while My Love’s Passion, who had the run of the race in that same contest needs to improve on the evidence of that display.
