Preview: France, Saturday 3.15pm BST (live on ATR/RUK)
Longchamp: Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Group 2) 1m, 3yo+
RACING in France for the sixth time in his career, Godolphin’s Rio De La Plata (Saeed Bin Suroor/Frankie Dettori) will start a warm favourite for this mile back at one of his favourite venues.
The six-year-old had a perfect trial for this event when running second to the smart Excelebrationin the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp last month.
«Rio De La Plata won his first Group 1 at Longchamp four years ago and he seems to love racing there,» said trainer Saeed Bin Suroor.
«He looks as good as ever and did a very nice piece of work on Monday morning. He always tries his hardest and we have had some great days with him.»
Rajsaman (Freddy Head/Thierry Jarnet) ran on to take thirdplace and Royal Bench (Robert Collet/Ioritz Mendizabal) finished fifth but ran well below his best.
Rio De La Plata is slightly better off at the weights on this occasion and he also finished ahead of Rajsaman when the pair were galloped into the ground by Frankel in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in July.
Rajsaman’s best performance of the year came when he landed a narrow victory over Byword in the Group 2 Prix du Muguet last May at Saint-Cloud, and Freddy Head is once again expecting a bold show.
He said: «Although he’s by Linamix, the colt acts on good ground. The one to beat is Rio de la Plata but my horse is very well and his work has been pleasing me.»
Royal Bench won the Daniel Wildenstein last year before taking second place in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile.
Earlier in the season, he was campaigned in the middle and Far East and finished fourth in the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan.
Given a rest after a run in the longer Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji, he ran a good fourth in the Prix Jacques Le Marois but disappointed in the Moulin.
«I don’t really understand his performance in the Moulin, but the sudden change in the ground turned it into a strange race,» said Collet.
«What worries me is that the horses behind us in the Jacques Le Marois were also behind us in the Moulin.»
Moving up in class all the time, Best Dating (Stephane Wattel/Gregory Benoist) beat Evaporation in the Group 3 Prix du Pin and he has plenty in his favour as he bids to comfirm the pacings.
One Clever Cat (Tony Clout/Gerald Mosse), recent winner of La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte, makes her swansong here before being retired to the paddocks.
Set The Trend (Andrew Balding/David Probert) has been a consistent performer this season.
He picked up a Listed event at Goodwood in July and back at the same course a month later he ran second to in the Betfair Celebration Mile to Dubawi Gold who was later behind Rio de la Plata and Rajsaman when he ran in the Moulin.
Sandagiyr (Alain de Royer-Dupre/Christophe Lemaire) attempts to uphold the family honour ahead of half-sister Sarafina’s Arc bid on Sunday.
Win or lose, it will be his final start in the Aga Khan’s colours, as he is in the Arqana sale on Saturday evening.
Also on Saturday
Longchamp: Qatar Prix de Royallieu (Group 2) 1m4½f, 3yo+ f/m (2.40pm BST, live on ATR/RUK)
British-based trainers account for the half the four-runner field over Longchamp’s extended 1m4f.
Roger Charlton looks to have found an excellent opportunity for Sea Of Heartbreak (Olivier Peslier), who finished on the heels of the progressive pair Green Destiny and stablemate Al Kazeem last time out in the Dubai Duty Free Arc Trial at Newbury.
«It’s a great bonus to run in a Group 2 with four runners,» said
Charlton. «Probably her best trip is ten furlongs and the French fillies’ best trip is probably a mile and a half plus. It could be very muddly. None are front-runners but she has a good turn of foot and this must be our best chance of winning a Group 2 with her.»
Modeyra (Saeed bin Suroor/Frankie Dettori) has smart Listed form to her name on two starts this year while Shamanova (Alain de Royer-Dupre/Christophe Lemaire) gets a real shot at finally winning a Group race after a string of placed efforts.
Longchamp: Qatar Prix Chaudenay (Group2) 1m7f, 3yo (2.40pm BST, live on ATR/RUK)
The progressive Gaily Game (Jean-Claude Rouget/Olivier Peslier), who is on a hat-trick, will start favourite after Listed victories at Bordeaux andDeauville. «He stays well and my only worry is the going as he would prefer cut in the ground,» said Rouget.
The Aga Khan’s Shankardeh (Mikel Delzangles/Christophe Lemaire) was a close third to Arc contender Testosterone in Group 2 company before a trip to Goodwood, where she was runner-up in the Lillie Langtry Stakes to subsequent Park Hill Stakes winner Meeznah.
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