THE action at Deauville last weekend was not the highest profile of the summer season, but it would be a mistake to regard it as irrelevant to big races coming up.

In particular, the 1200-metre Prix de Meautry went to a very promising type in the Freddy Head-trained Tantheem, a three-year-old filly who took this Group 3 by fully three and a half lengths.

The time looks very smart, and, while Laugh A Minute, Coeur De Beaute and D’Bai (the next three home) are not out of the top drawer, they are no mugs either.

I have Tantheem running to 121 on overall time, with a slight upgrade to 123 on account of having gone pretty fast in front from the outset (finishing speed of 99.2% for last 400m). She should be a meaningful rival to some of the best sprinters around in receipt of her sex allowance.

Tantheem’s time was better than those put up in victory by Graphite in the Prix Quincey (114) and by Loxley in the Grand Prix de Deauville (89), the latter not having to prove his stamina in a steadily-run race in which his main rival on form ran poorly.

If you intend taking the Breeders’ Cup seriously but have paid little attention to events Stateside thus far, now may be a good time to start to sit up and take notice.

Saturday’s meeting at Saratoga provided some pointers, including from the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mendelssohn (116), who ran second to Catholic Boy (122) in the Travers Stakes.

This was a good effort in many ways from Mendelssohn, but he got a sound ride up front from Ryan Moore and was comfortably swept aside in the end by a horse who likely needs to improve a few lengths further to win at Churchill Downs. The best relative time performance on the card looks to have been from Abel Tasman (124), who held Elate (123) by a neck, with the pair well clear in a Personal Ensign Stakes that was a good trial for what promises to be a red-hot Distaff.

Promises Fulfilled (119) comes out better than the other seven-furlong dirt winners Whitmore and Marley’s Freedom (both 115), with the last-named now favourite for the Filly & Mare Sprint.