WHILE horse racing has rumbled on in far-flung destinations, like Hong Kong, Australia and the US, the resumption of action in France on May 11th brought it much closer to home and made it of much less academic interest. Who knows? We may actually see some of the winners, and losers, in Ireland and Britain before the year’s end!

ParisLongchamp returned with a bang on that date, showcasing a Group 2 and three Group 3s, the former a Prix d’Harcourt which proved to be up to scratch.

Shaman had won at only listed and Group 3 level previously, but he had been placed in the French equivalent of the 2000 Guineas and in the Prix Jacques le Marois in 2019 and made his first attempt at 2,000 metres a winning one, earning a 117 figure after quite quick late splits have been allowed for.

Shaman got the run of things up front, but only by a small degree, and finished off well enough to suggest he was a deserving winner all the same. Way To Paris in second returned a 115 figure and is at least as good at 12 to 16 furlongs, while Sottsass was below form but not disgraced (114 rating, compared to 124 peak) in fourth at a trip that is perhaps short of his best when the pace is ordinary.

Those Group 3s went to Batwan (Prix de Saint-Georges, 111 rating in what was a strongly run sprint in which fifth-placed Ken Colt shaped well), The Summit (Prix de Fontainebleau, 109) and Tropbeau (Prix de la Grotte, 107).

Classic trials

The last two named races are recognised classic trials and the winners figure prominently enough in the betting for the French versions.

The Summit got a soft lead in the colts’ race, but is no mug having started favourite for a Group 1 at two years and can be regarded as smart. That said, runner-up Ecrivain (110) and third-placed Victor Ludorum (112 minimum) have slightly better form than him and can be fancied to come on a fair bit for these reappearances.

Tropbeau put up a solid trial in the fillies’ version – run in an overall time 1.74s faster than the Fontainebleau – to go with her third in the Cheveley Park Stakes last year when possibly a bit unlucky.

She did win by less than a length from Dream And Do (105) and Tickle Me Green (104) and may have to raise her game a bit further in the Pouliches.