Sunday's Meetings Longchamp Flat 8 Races 1:15-6:00p.m. Tipperary Mixed 8 Races 1:40-5:30p.m. Killarney N/H 7 Races 2:00-5:20p.m. Epsom Flat 7 Races 2:15-5:45p.m. Ffos Las Abandoned Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck p
Gone a bit crazy at Longchamp today. Plenty i fancied so just backed them all. 1:15 - Zabiari 10/1. Win (money back with sky if 2nd or 3rd) 1:50 - Ribaltagaia 8/1. Win 2:25 - First Class 8/1. Win 3:05 - Already put up on Arc thread. 3:50 - Al Husn 13/2. Win 4:25 - Equality 14/1. Ew (4 places) & Batwan 60/1. Ew (5 places) 5:00 - Fang & Breizh Sky both 20/1. Ew (4 places). 6:00 - Bremer 16/1. Ew (5 places) Singles and rev forecasts on races where i have two. Only small stakes.
I have covered the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on the ante post thread. On the supporting card, I have eliminated the Prix de la Forêt because of the short-priced favourite Kinross and the Prix de l’Abbaye because it looks like a weak renewal and I am concerned that Highfield Princess looks like the gift horse that should not be looked in the mouth. I note that the layers are taking John Quinn’s mare on but not Ralph Beckett’s gelding. There will be no repeat in this year’s Prix de l’Opéra with the reigning heroine engaged in the race before. I really should learn to avoid this race as mine always get just beat in recent runnings. I see that obvious favourite Blue Rose Cen is being opposed even though she won the Marcel Boussac on this card last year. I can see why as she has been on the go all season, did not stay in the Prix Vermeille but ran like a drain in the Nassau – the winner of which, Al Husn, is here but followed up with a poor run in the Yorkshire Oaks. At York, Stay Alert finished ahead of Al Husn in sixth but is clearly much better judged on her second in the Group 1 Pretty Polly at this trip on her previous start. Hughie Morrison’s filly has been nibbled at in the betting as 20/1 was clearly a little too generous. I am at a loss to understand why Joseph O’Brien has put first time blinkers on Lumiere Rock as she beat Jackie Oh easily last time in the Blandford Stakes three weeks ago but I do not like backing first time headgear horses as it may have an adverse effect. It is impossible to judge the merit of the German form but Henk Grewe’s Muskoka has an official rating of 110 after completing a hat-trick at Dusseldorf so that probably justifies her place in the field. The Aga Khan’s Darkaniya was well beaten in the Prix Jean Romanet on her penultimate start but the Frankel filly won a Baden Baden Group 2 last time over further, the highest level that she has achieved. The admirable Rogue Millennium continues to do great credit to Tom Clover over a variety of distances but her last three runs have been over a mile, most recently chasing home Tahiyra in the Matron. I can see her coming late today, but will it be too late? Where I am going is the filly that I think has been laid out for today. JANNAH ROSE was well beaten in the Prix de Diane but either side of that won the Prix Saint-Alary and beat Lumiere Rock in the Prix de la Nonette, so I am going with her to extend her record to five wins from six starts and give Frankel another Group 1. The first race on the card is the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère over 1,400m (7 furlongs) for two year olds. I am going to swerve this one because there are not enough collateral form lines. Richard Fahey’s raider Native American is an unknown having won a big sales race pot last time but as we saw in the Cheveley Park yesterday, two of the market leaders that had similar form were never a factor; however, I hope he runs well. The favourite is clearly going to be Beauvatier, who beat Evade last time in the Prix La Rochette over course and distance to complete a four timer. The two Aidan O’Brien runners should ensure that we get some gauge of the merits of the home team. Over the years the Prix Marcel Boussac has proved to be a good Classic pointer for the fillies in Britain, Ireland and France. Although there is not much in the way of collateral form here, it looks like a field where a number can be easily scratched as they have moderate form: Voodoo Magic was well beaten in Group 3 and Listed races on her last two starts, Extraordinaire lost her maiden tag at the third attempt on quick ground at Sandown, Frankel filly Zandy won a six runner maiden over nine furlongs and drops back in trip today. Rose Bloom made all to win a minor race at Chantilly so is probably the pace angle here unless Ryan wants to set the fractions on Opera Singer, easy winner of a Group 3 at The Curragh when last seen. Christophe Ferland’s Julica is a complete unknown having won two minor events easily in the provinces, as is Ribaltagaia, another easy winner of a minor event at a provincial track. Of the French horses with pattern form, Freville’s course and distance Group 3 ended up a three-way finish in a race where the Andre Fabre favourite never featured while Les Pavots steps up a furlong having won the Group 2 Prix du Calvados beating a Dominic Ffrench Davis filly that was subsequently third in the Moyglare. Of the home team Francis-Henri Graffard’s filly makes the most appeal because of that Deauville form being validated; however, I am going for Karl Burke’s May Hill winner DARNATION to step up to Group 1 level and give Too Darn Hot a Group 1 winner. She has done nothing wrong in her three victories and her Prestige win was franked by runner-up Carla’s Way the other day.
In the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp (17:00), run over a distance just short of 7f. on the expected good ground, I am quite taken with the price of King Gold, Kinross or not. 12/1 best price at the moment seems to be huge for this talented colt. Surely worth a few shekels, although I could well be doing Kinross an injustice? Christophe Soumillon rides for the Nicolas Caullery yard. Caullery is certainly an up-and-coming trainer having only started 5-years ago. He now has 60-horses in his successful Chantilly stable. Really looking forward to this great day for horseracing, difficult to think of any flat race day that's any better anywhere in the world.
Quite an interesting Arc stat is that only 1 of the last 11 renewals has been won by a 3YO colt - Golden Horn in 2015. Given the WFA conditions of the race that speaks volumes about the quality of the classic colts in recent years. They have well and truly been shown up by their female counterparts in the shape of the wonderful Enable and Treve. It must be a little worrying for the breeding industry too - no middle-distance superstar to compete with Frankel and Dubawi although at least Frankel seems to be imparting stamina to his offspring. Anyway back to today's race and it will be disappointing if Ace Impact can't get one on the board for the 3YO colts. He is getting 7lbs from Westover and Hukum and, although he is rated 6 and 7lbs below that pair he is likely still improving and the trip up in step can possibly bring out more. Hukum has the ground and draw to contend with so Westover rates the biggest danger to Ace Impact and Bay Bridge can grab a place.
Great run by Ace Impact, absolute class. Crikey, Onesto damn nearly got second place too, came right from the back to finish third. Think I made a profit! Apologies, this should be on the Arc thread. Just a bit over-excited!
Terrible. I'm not holding out much hope for the last runner after the disaster of the rest. Placed in the Arc but that's it. I'll stick to Dundalk
I am going to get stick for saying this but Ace Impact was that impressive in the Prix Du Jockey Club – a slowly run race that turned into a sprint in the straight. This was not a great Arc taking the placed horses as markers. Watching it the wrong horses seemed to be in the wrong places most of the race (possibly jockey error of choices). I am not disparaging the winner as he could only win the race at it was run but I see him being packed off to stud unbeaten as this was not a great renewal. If the race had been in this country my jockey would have been in front of the stewards for failing to ride his horse for the best finishing position, dropping his hands soon as a couple passed him. Yes, that is sour grapes.
