ParisLongchamp Saturday

7.17pm Grand Prix De Paris (Group 1) (3yo Colts & Fillies) €600,000 1m 4f

The Coolmore Stud partnership holds a strong hand in Saturday evening’s Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris, with not just the Aidan O’Brien-trained Group 2 Queen’s Vase victor Illinois, but also the unbeaten Group 3 Prix du Lys hero, Delius, from the Jean-Claude Rouget yard.

Also among an eight-runner field are horses that have run well in either the Prix du Jockey Club or the Prix de Diane. But the quality of those Group 1 classics looks a little questionable at present and I expect the Magnier/Tabor/Smith duo to dominate, with Illinois perhaps just edging home in front.

Hanging about

Illinois already has one piece of solid French Group 1 form, when third to stablemate Los Angeles in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud last November, and, like so many of the Ballydoyle three-year-olds, he needed a couple of runs to put him straight this term. He was probably dossing in front when hanging late in the Queen’s Vase and this full-brother to the 2017 third in this race, Venice Beach, and half-brother to the Arc heroine Danedream has the benefit of a pacemaker, Grosvenor Square, to ensure this is a stiff test on his drop back from a mile and six furlongs. Delius was impressive when comfortably accounting for two of today’s rivals, Saganti and Internaute, in the Group 3 Prix du Lys and has had this race as his target ever since.

The Diane form is represented by the solitary British contender, David Menuisier’s Tamfana, who finished third there having previously been an unfortunate fourth in the Group 1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. The are some indications from her pedigree (she hails from the family of the 1m 4f performer and sire of Galopin Des Champs, Timos) that this longer trip is what she wants, but I am not so sure that is the case. The line-up is completed by Jean-Claude Rouget’s Sibayan, who is leaping in class following a provincial listed success.

SELECTION: Illinois