IT’S a stars of tomorrow and stars of today themed weekend.
Though the stars of tomorrow are running today in a pair of Group 1 juvenile contests at Newmarket and the stars of today are running in ParisLongchamp tomorrow, where of course, the iconic Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe headlines.
Whatever the case, it’s top quality action.
Of the two juvenile Group 1s, the Juddmonte Middle Park (3.00) looks more enticing, a Prix Morny rematch between Vandeek and River Tiber. The former, Simon and Ed Crisford’s colt, was roughly a 9/2 shot in Deauville but there was a sense of an upset about his win taking on the hot French thing in Ramatuelle and the hot Irish thing in River Tiber.
That sense of not quite believing the form, was evident again this week when bookmakers favoured Aidan O’Brien’s colt to reverse the form, until the pair flip flopped in the market yesterday afternoon.
Vandeek is a deserving favourite. An unbeaten colt, and a fair, square and impressive winner over River Tiber, who was excused by O’Brien even before the race when he suggested the son of Wootton Bassett could be running “under a cloud”.
If one thing was reinforced this season, it has been the respect for Ballydoyle horses bouncing back - see Auguste Rodin x2.
Jasour also ran in the Morny but he has a lot more ground to make up and if there is a horse to challenge the front two, it might be Task Force for the sponsors. Ralph Beckett’s colt looked ill at ease at Ripon for his second start but still came through impressively to take a listed race.
To confuse the theme of the weekend further, Relief Rally, clear favourite for the Juddmonte Cheveley Park (2.25), could indeed just be a star of today and not tomorrow, as her trainer has already talked about how small she is and how they need to capitalise this season.
The Lowther winner, she is pretty good but she might not be as far clear of her rivals here as the odds suggest and with a bigger field, there is a bigger chance of a springer.
Jasna’s Secret is an intriguing runner for France. She is trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner and was recently acquired by Wathnan Racing.
You also have the likes of Albany winner Porta Fortuna, Sacred Angel who was fourth in the Prix Morny discussed above and Cherry Blossom, who may not have seen out the trip in the Goffs Million, is notably out again quickly. As if One Look could get more exciting, imagine if Aidan O’Brien’s filly wins this.
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc (3.05) looks open and when a good race is open, you’re inclined to assume that there is a lack of quality, but the potential is still there for a quality winner.
Step forward Ace Impact, bidding to become the first French-trained three-year-old colt to win the Arc since Rail Link beat Pride and Deep Impact in 2006.
The son of Cracksman shot to fame when he dismantled a Prix du Jockey Club field and connections swerved a trip to these shores for the Irish Champion Stakes in favour of this step up in trip.
Will he stay or be as effective at a mile and a half is the question, but the warm weather in Paris is looking likely to ensure a decent surface and that may be a positive.
Irish hopes are pinned primarily on Continuous, supplemented for the race, and the sole Ballydoyle representative. Incidentally he bids to become the first Irish-trained three-year-old colt to win here since Sea The Stars but more significantly, no St Leger winner has ever won the Arc. Nine have tried since 2000 with the form figures reading: 507004073.
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