A solid weekend of racing in the UK and Ireland, albeit one largely dominated by handicap action. The real meat is over in France, where the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois is run at Deauville on Sunday, but we’ll come back to that later on.
We have more novelty racing in the wake of the Shergar Cup last weekend, with the Grey Horse Handicap (14:10) being run at Newmarket this Saturday. As the name suggests, this race is confined to grey horses, 10 of which will go to post for this six furlong sprint.
A six furlong sprint is also the feature at Ripon, as 15 face the gate for the Great St Wilfried (15:25). Royal Zabeel represents the same connections as last year’s winner Intervention, while Dark Cloud Rising will be popular in the market having won over this idiosyncratic, undulating track in the past.
There is Group race action over at Newbury with the Geoffrey Freer Stakes (13:25) seeing the return of Dubai Honour to British shores. This globe-trotting 8-year-old has had a sensational career and was only beaten a neck in an Australian Group 1 in March. He’s got a big class edge on these rivals, but does have to prove himself over this extended 13.5 furlong trip.
We also have the Hungerford Stakes at 15:10. Run over seven furlongs, the demands of this race should suit Never So Brave, who won the only Group 1 for older horses over this distance run in the UK last year. He has generally been a bit underwhelming this season, but I feel like he’s building to something better and might be ready to strike here having made a decent move in a red hot Sussex Stakes last time out. He’s up against an improving handicapper in Extremely Zain, as well top sprinters Coppull and Symbol Of Honour, both of whom are stepping up in distance for what should be a fascinating contest.
There’s also some good racing in France this Saturday, with the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (13:33) providing an intriguing clash between Daryzan and Montreal. The former is a half-brother to Arc winner Daryz and has looks to have inherited a fair chunk of the family ability, having twice won impressively either side of finishing seventh in the French Derby when inexperience found him out. He was behind third-placed Montreal there and that runner reopposes here for Aidan O’Brien. He was ostensibly a pacemaker at Chantilly but ran a phenomenal race and any concerns about him being flattered there should be allayed by the whopping speedfigure he recorded.
The Prix Gontaut-Biron (16:00) should go the way of Cualificar, who was beaten just a neck by Calandagan in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud last time out and is swimming in much calmer waters here.
As is A Boy Named Susie, who is a short-priced favourite to give the French Derby form another boost on Sunday in the Royal Whip Stakes (16:25) at the Curragh. He’s been taking on the best this season and this looks a formality dropping in grade against Listed class foes.
Race Of The Weekend
We may have been robbed of the opportunity to see Bow Echo in the Prix Jacques le Marois (14:50) due to the star colt’s retirement, but this Group 1 still looks up to scratch. Precise has danced every dance this season and should run her race again, but this straight track should play to the strengths of More Thunder who shaped much better than the bare result behind Zeus Olympios at Ascot last time out. His yard have really hit form this weekend and this 5-year-old can finally breakthrough at the highest level.
Horse To Watch
Avec Toi has looked like a filly right out of the top drawer in two successful starts to date and should be up to completing her hat-trick in the Prix Francois Boutin (13:33) on Sunday. She was very impressive leading all the way at Listed level and might be something a little bit special.
