Our racing expert, Andy Holding, has two tips from Auteuil today
13:35
Francois Nicholle was the dominate force among the training ranks here yesterday and the St Augustin-based handler looks to have a leading hand in this heat, sending to post no fewer than three of the seven-strong field.
Of the trio, Pamela Des Mottes is bound to prove popular having scored in tidy fashion on her debut at Compiegne and having already shown she can handle and quicken well out of testing ground, her credentials are fairly water-tight. Obviously, stable insiders will know the time of day here so the market is going to be a decent guide to how the race might unfold, but providing SAINTE CANDY (best price 15-8) isn’t as weak as dishwater, she has the capabilities to make her mark. One of the more prepossessing members of the party, the daughter of Jeu St Eloi began her career in the perfect possible fashion with a victory of some substance over today’s C&D and she rates a fairly strong choice to supplement those gains returning to the scene of that taking performance with conditions to suit. Anita Du Berlais chased home Sainte Candy in that aforementioned contest 64 days ago, and while she may well have improved in the interim period, there’s also a strong possibility her conqueror would have done so as well.
15:25
Several of these are closely matched having met in the past and it looks a case of tossing a coin when trying to work out who will come out on top – especially over a trip where most are unproven. Four of today’s field clashed in a similar heat here 71 days and on that occasion, King Edward took the spoils with a powerful thrust late on but whether he will confirm his superiority over his old rivals remains to be seen. Of the beaten trio, Dream Wish is just about the most consistent at this level and another solid run looks on the cards. Since blinkered, the son of Dream Well has been a revelation and, as he looks to be the logical pace angle, there’s a fair chance he can dictate matters to suit from the front. Al Cuarto has been runner-up on his last three starts and looks sure to be bang there again, while the Francois Nicholle-trained pair, Road Senam and Autour De Minuit have to be considered based on their handler being in such terrific form.
16:00
Lautonomie has been successful no fewer than eight times over today’s track and she rates a worthy market leader on all known form. A smooth winner of a Grade 1 hurdle two starts ago, the daughter of Blue Bresil predictably made light work of a drop in class on her return to the same venue 112 days later and hailing from a stable in excellent heart since the resumption of racing, the five-year-old filly is expected to maintain her grip in races of this nature.
Paul’s Sage hasn’t been seen out since landing a Grade 2 over today’s C&D back in November, but she surely has to be a likely candidate if fit on the basis of that strong form (Agrapart well beaten back in fourth). Prior to that gutsy display, David Cottin’s filly could only chase in vain as one of her old rivals, Galop Marin, gained valuable track advantage over 3m, but now she reverts back to her optimum trip, there’s a fair chance she can turn around the form with the top weight. Looking at the chances of Galop Marin and they are pretty strong when you consider his recent record here of three wins and three places from his last seven starts and he’s very much one to focus on in the ‘without the favourite’ markets. Cotee Sud has been battered by Lautonomie on her last two encounters with the favourite, so there’s no logical reason why she should miraculously turn around the form. She does, however, always run her race seemingly, and she looks booked for another podium finish.
16:35
The last of the Graded action on the card and it’s a race that brings together a useful-looking field. Want Of A Nail is unbeaten in her last three starts and commands the greatest respect over a C&D that clearly serves her well. Guillaume Macaire’s filly reverts back to hurdles following a game victory over fences here 170 days ago, but she is a pretty versatile type in terms of discipline and how she can be ridden, so a big run looks on the cards.
Moises Has also goes well at the Bois De Boulogne venue – as form figures of 4112 testifies – and although beaten on his latest encounter, it still wasn’t a bad effort in context of today’s race. However, if using her conqueror that day, Grand Messe, as a guide, the son of Martaline has a bit to find with Want Of A Nail strictly on the book, so based on that theory, he’s passed over on account of her skimpy odds.
The real fly in the ointment in the line-up could turn out to be GANT DE VELOURS (best price 5-1) and he looks the one to side with at the prices. A dual bumper winner before beaten by his old pal Gannat in a Grade 1 at Saint -Cloud in his final outing in that discipline, the son of Poliglote made a spectacular start to his hurdling career when scoring by a wide margin over today’s course 71 days ago. Racing with plenty of enthusiasm throughout, the scopey three-year-old impressed by the way he operated over his obstacles before bounding clear in the latter stages (raced towards the nearside fence) and even though today’s contest represents a steep rise in class, he looks the type, ability-wise, who should cope.
