Autres informations / 31.05.2008

Prix du jockey club etc

Prix

de l’Avre

Court

Canibal is the horse with the proven Group form but his rivals and in

particular American and Weald have great scope for improvement. Court Canibal

ran poorly on his last start on firm ground at Longchamp but had previously

shown high class form on soft ground finishing second to  Anacarde at Saint Cloud and then second beaten only a

head by Full Of Gold in the Prix de Noailles. American was well beaten by

Vision d’Etat on his only start this year but that was his first run since last

August and at two he had looked a good prospect finishing third in a Listed in Deauville after making a winning debut at Chantilly. The son of Red Ransom steps up to 2400 metres a distance

which is likely to suit. Weald made a winning debut at Lyon

beating useful performers like Until Sunrise and Coureurasien. The son of

Bering was receiving 3 kilos that day but is likely to step up on the rating he

achieved on his debut. Watar was third behind High Rock after winning a B in Deauville on the psf and

is another promising stayer.

Prix

Royaumont

Very

competitive race with seven fillies rated with a couple of lengths. Prudenzia

clearly has a first rate chance as after winning her only start at two she was

fourth to Folle Allure in a B at Longchamp and then progressed to win a Listed

at the same track over 2,200

metres. In the Prix de la Seine the daughter of

Dansili beat Seal

Bay by 1 ½ lengths with

Balladeuse beaten about 3 lengths in total in fourth. Folle Allure is unbeaten

in two starts and after beating Myakoda in a newcomers race at Saint Cloud defeated Promesse de l’Aube,

Cosmic Fire and Prudenzia in a B at Longchamp. Prudenzia has improved since but

then there is no reason why the daughter of Poliglote should not improve on her

rating as well. Tangaspeed beat Myakoda by 4 lengths on heavy ground at

Longchamp in April over 2400

metres and then cofirmed this form when beaten a neck by

Myakoda when giving her 1 ½ kilos in a B at Saint Cloud. Treat Gently is another

potential winner as after being only narrowly beaten by Gagnoa on her only

juvenile start the daughter of Cape Cross was a comfortable winner over 2000 metres at

Longchamp beating Call Me Kitty. Sub Rose is yet another potential top class

performer who won a newcomers race on her only start to date beating Mission

Secrete and Astrologie, first and third in B at Saint Cloud this week. Mischief Making won

three races on the all weather in England and was not beaten far when

sixth in a Listed on her last start, but this looks like a much more

competitive race.

Prix

de Gros Chene

The

three year old sprinters look to be outstanding this year as the generation

usually struggles to beat its elders and yet this year both Captain Gerrard and

Fleeting Spirit have already won all aged Group races. Sir Gerry won the

Gimcrack at two and after failing to stay returned to sprint distances last

time and gave weight and a beating to useful horse over 1200 metres at Ascot.

Sir Gerry has a penalty and has to give weight to Captain Gerrard, who beat

Sakhee’s Secret to win a Group 3 on his reappearance. Captain Gerrard likes

soft ground but has not run over further than 1000 metres since being

beaten on his debut. Equiano is a very useful sprinter who won well at Chantilly on last start but this is a very stiff task.

Prix

de Sandringham

Looks

like an opportunity for Modern Look to come out of the shadow of Natagora and

Zarkava, the leaders of her generation. The daughter of Zamindar won a Group 3

at two and on her two starts at three was second to Natagora in the UImprudence

and then fourth to Zarkava in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, less than a

length behind Halfway to Heaven the winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas. A

consistent performer she has gradually improved throughout her career and is

one of the best of her generation. Albisola is another high class filly and she

returns to 1600 metres

after disappointing in the Saint Alary. Over 1800 metres she beat

Belle et Celebre at two and then won a Listed at Longchamp beating Seal Bay

very easily by 2 ½ lengths. Albisola has the speed to be competitive at the top

level at this trip. Mousse au Chocolat and Lady Deauville are consistent

performers even if they have a little to find to challenge the top two. Mousse

Au Chocolat was narrowly beaten by Top Toss in a Group at two and was fourth to

Zarkava in the Grotte on her only start this year. Lady Deauville is a Listed

winner and Group placed in both France

and England

and is better on soft ground.

Prix

du Jockey-Club

Natagora

is clearly top rated in this outstanding and competitive field. The daughter of

Divine Light is drawn in the middle of the field and in jockey Lanfranco

Dettori and trainer Pascal Bary has the most successful pair of professionals

in this race in recent years. However, Natagora’s best ratings were achieved

over 1200 metres

last October and then again 1400

metres this year at Maisons Laffitte. Natagora ran to a

rating slightly below her best in the 1,000 Guineas but then she has never done

more than is required to win in her faultless career. She has been beaten only

twice, on her debut and on heavy ground in the Morny.

The

principal opposition is likely to come from the Irish challenger Famous Name

and the best of the French trained colts, High Rock, Hello Morning, Thewayyouare,

Vision d’Etat and Chichon, however there are more than a dozen colts who it is

not impossible to imagine improving enough to win,  if Natagora fails to stay the extended trip.

High Rock was a top class two year old, the winner of the Condé and only beaten

on his debut by high class horses. The son of Rock of Gibraltar won the Prix de

la Force

brilliantly, pulling from beginning to end and winning unchallenged by 6

lengths. Hello Morning and Thewayyouare finished together when first and second

in the Criterium International at two and then again when fifth and sixth in

the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, both colts should be suited to the step up to 2,100 metres. Vision

d’Etat is unbeaten in four starts and has impressed on each of his starts in Paris. At two the son of

Chichicastenango beat Ticoz comfortably and then on his seasonal reappearance

he came from behind in a slowly run race to give weight and a beating to the

useful Until Sunrise. He stepped up further when a brilliant 3 length winner of

a Listed at Chantilly over 2000 metres from the

disqualified Magadan and Indian Daffodil. It might be a surprise to include

Chichon among the best French trained colts but the son of Marju has not done

much wrong to date. After an excellent debut behind Tamayuz he won his maiden

by 4 lengths at two. On his seasonal reappearance he was third to Vision d’Etat

but he is a stayer and stepped up on his next two starts in strongly run races,

failing to give weight to the promising Celebrissime and the defeating the promising

Track Record by 4 lengths in a B at Longchamp.

Famous

Name is not easy to rate as he disappointed in Group races at two after a

brilliant winning debut, finishing sixth to New Appraoch and then second to

Jupiter Pluvius. He looked to be a top prospect on his only start at three

winning a Group 3 over 1600

metres by 4 lengths from two colts who have proved to be

high class since. However it was a four horse race and the two colts he beat,

Moiqen and Hebridean have both stepped up in trip since. Famous Name is a colt

with potential but he is not certain to appreciate this trip and may have been

flattered by his win this year but his trainer few runners in France are also

competitive.

The

next group of possible winners include Trincot, Magadan, Full Of Gold,

Starlish, Democrate, Prospect Wells and Monmatre, they would all have to

improve to do so but are all promising colts. Trincot had one or two good

performances at two and has stepped up this year winning all three starts well

and comfortably beating In Chambers and Mayweather in the Guiche on his last

start over 1800 metres,

not a certain stayer but a very useful colt with a turn of foot. Magadan beat

Monmatre narrowly on their respective debuts at Longchamp. Magadan was then

disqualified after finishing second to Vision d’Etat at Chantilly

while Monmatre was a comfortable winner at Longchamp. Both colts will probably

prove to be better over 2400

metres but are high class prospects. Full Of Gold won a

Group 1 at two and then the Noailles on his seasonal reappearance before running

way below form on good ground in the Hocquart. The son of Gold Away would not

have to improve a great deal on his best form to take part in the finish.

Democrate and Starlish were first and second in the Hocquart,  where Democrate showed improved form when held

up for the first time and Starlish looked an unlucky loser after hanging across

the course when looking sure to win. Prospect Wells has not done much wrong

either having been narrowly beaten by Tamayuz and Hello Morning at two before

being given a gentle ride when narrowly beaten by Ripple on his three year old

reappearance. He reversed this form when beating Ripple and Trois Rois in a

close finish to a slowly run Greffuhle. He may be more suited to quickening up

in a small field then fighting through a closely matched group of 19 rivals but

this son of Sadler’s Wells is yet another top class prospect, while Trois Rois

is still relatively inexperience and may improve in true test of stamina.