ParisLongchamp Sunday

2.50pm Prix Ganay (Group 1) (3yo+) 1m 2f 110y

Two years ago Joseph O’Brien broke a 14-year Irish win drought in the first Group 1 race of the European season, the Prix Ganay, when State Of Rest proved too strong for his French counterparts.

The Co Kilkenny handler has outstanding claims of a second victory in this mile two furlongs and 100 yards contest on Sunday when he saddles Al Riffa.

Meant to be one of last year’s top classic contenders after landing the Group 1 National Stakes at the end of his juvenile campaign, an early season setback and another one in the days before the Irish Champion Stakes meant that this Wootton Bassett colt only ran twice last term: a modest second on his Curragh comeback and then a fine second behind the brilliant subsequent Arc hero Ace Impact in a valuable Group 2 at Deauville in August.

O’Brien reports Al Riffa to be in fine fettle prior to this first outing in eight and a half months and the fact that he is already talking about a possible tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for his four-year-old demonstrates the regard in which he is held by his trainer.

Al Riffa’s eight-strong opposition is led by four of the first five home in the traditional trial for this race, the mile and two furlongs Group 2 Prix d’Harourt, which took place at this track three weeks ago.

Zarakem came out on top that day, by a length and a half from Horizon Dore with Birr Castle three-quarters of a length adrift in third and Feed The Flame fifth.

Better than placings

Feed The Flame, successful at the highest level last July when landing the Grand Prix de Paris, is surely much better than those placings suggest, but has seven lengths to make up on the Jerome Reynier-trained winner, who has triumphed in six of his last seven races and should continue to progress given that the Prix d’Harcourt was his seasonal debut.

Andre Fabre has his string in sensational form at the moment so it would be no surprise if his Birr Castle at least made up some of the ground on Zarakem, who has two and a quarter lengths in hand on that d’Harcourt performance, while further overseas interest is added by the presence in the field the 2023 Group 1 German Derby winner, Fantastic Moon, who beat Feed The Flame in the Group 2 Prix Niel at this track last September and should be all the better for his recent reappearance run in a listed event in Berlin.

Another intriguing candidate is the recently-gelded Frankel progeny Zarir, who trounced a decent performer in Sober at Chantilly last time out and, surprisingly, is now stepped straight up into Group 1 company having finished a close third, albeit just behind Zarakem, on his only previous blacktype run, in a listed mile and a half event run at Vichy last August.

Al Riffa has the class to shrug off any fitness doubts and get his head in front for the first time since 2022, with Zarakem likely to give him most to do.

SELECTION: AL RIFFA

Next Best: Zarakem