Black-Type Analysis: Cualificar Aiming For d’Ornano Glory, as Prix Jacques Le Marois Draws 10 With Rosallion Defection

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday, Deauville, France, post time: 15:50, PRIX GUILLAUME D'ORNANO-G2, €183,000, 3yo, 10fT

Field: Batal Youmzain (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Cualifica (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Dumonet (Ire), Soldier Hollow (GB), Alohi Alii (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).

TDN Verdict: Godolphin's ultra-consistent G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Cualificar will be a warm order to add to his victories in this term's G3 Prix La Force and G3 Prix de Guiche. Brian Meehan trainee Rashabar has collected prize-money in each of his four attempts at the highest level and the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace Stakes fourth is back up in grade having run second in last month's Listed Steventon Stakes at Newbury. Tsuyoshi Suzuki's Alohi Alii gets an early taste of Gallic action in his quest to become Japan's first G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero. He was last seen finishing a close-up eighth in April's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama. A place on the podium is not beyond G2 Prix Eugene Adam fourth Dumonet, who should finish in front of Dieppe handicap victor Batal Youmzain. [Sean Cronin].

Saturday, Newbury, Britain, post time: 15:35, VISIT MALTA HUNGERFORD STAKES-G2, £150,000, 3yo/up, 7fT

Field: Witness Stand (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Alyanaabi (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), King's Gamble (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), More Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Fair Angellica (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Great Generation (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Marvelman (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Spy Chief (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Duty First (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Yet to prove he can mix it with these level of horses, More Thunder gives every indication that he is up to the task after a narrow defeat in the Wokingham and narrow win in the Bunbury Cup. Luckily, he has stumbled across a Hungerford with no genuine seven-furlong stars engaged and with the shock Lennox winner Witness Stand under a penalty for those exploits and the best three-year-old Spy Chief below the usual standard it could be his for the taking. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Newbury, Britain, post time: 13:50, HIGHCLERE THOROUGHBRED RACING GEOFFREY FREER STAKES-G3, £90,000, 3yo/up, 13f 61yT

Field: Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Candleford (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Epic Poet (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Further (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Nightime Dancer (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Pinhole (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Entered in the St Leger, Pinhole impressed with a wide-margin win in an Ascot handicap last month and the brother to Quadrilateral has a healthy weight-for-age advantage over his elders. Still on the slippery slope to has-beenism, Ambiente Friendly attempts his latest reinvention act having been beaten a total of 84 lengths in six starts since being in the mix in the Irish Derby last summer. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Deauville, France, post time: 13:23, PRIX GONTAUT-BIRON HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB-G3, €73,200, 4yo/up, 10fT

Field: Woodchuck (Fr) (Birchwood {Ire}), Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Calif (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), First Look (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Last term's G1 King George hero Goliath has won just one of four starts since annexing October's G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris and bids to regain his mojo returning off an uninspiring last-of-five in June's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Last year's G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen hero Calif has suffered seven reversals, including four at the highest level, since that career best and is another in need of inspiration. Wathnan Racing's 2024 G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up First Look halted a losing sequence of eight when triumphing in this month's Listed Prix du Pays d'Auge at Clairefontaine and needs to find extra here. Unlike his foes, David Dromard's Woodchuck has never been tested in Group 1 company and will head postward coming back off a close-up third in last month's G3 Grand Prix de Vichy. [Sean Cronin].

Saturday, Deauville, France, post time: 13:58, MOROCCO CUP – PRIX DE LIEUREY-G3, €73,200, 3yo, f, 8fT

Field: Better Together (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Bermuda Longtail (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Troia (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Medusa Merger (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Relaxx (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), Polyvega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Andre Fabre already has a record seven renewals in the bag and is represented in this distaffers' contest by G3 Prix Imprudence victrix Better Together. She followed up that first pattern-race triumph with a fifth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and a sixth in the G1 Prix de Diane, and is taken to get back on track dropping down to the one-mile trip. Simmering has failed in two Group 1 outings since hitting the board in May's G1 1000 Guineas and is back at a level where she can make an impact. TDN Rising Star Polyvega has run third in Group 3 company in each of her last four starts and is surely booked for a podium place once again. Listed winners Troia, Medusa Merger and Relaxx are all on an upward trajectory and hold each-way claims. [Sean Cronin].

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland, post time: 15:27, NEWBRIDGE SILVERWARE ROYAL WHIP STAKES-G3, €36,000, 3yo/up, 10fT

Field: Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Galen (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Rock Of Cashel (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Tangapour (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Zahrann (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Los Angeles is back in preparation for a big autumn in the race the stable's Luxembourg and Continuous won in 2022 and 2024. Still one of the best older horses around, he has a smart three-year-old to contend with in the Listed King George V Cup winner and King Edward VII runner-up Zahrann, but with Rock Of Cashel to set things up for him should be able to enjoy a confidence boost. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland, post time: 16:37, COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER TRIAL STAKES-G3, €36,000, 3yo/up, 14fT

Field: Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Dallas Star (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Fr}), Leinster (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Uxmal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Puppet Master (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

TDN Verdict: With the megabucks of the Melbourne Cup calling, Absurde and co will be able to use their share of the paltry prize money on offer here to probably pay for the transport of hay and water to Australia. The Lingfield Derby Trial winner Puppet Master is the Ballydoyle representative bidding to provide the stable with a ninth renewal since 2014 and if trends are anything to go by the rest may as well stay in their boxes. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, Britain, post time: 14:52, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CURRAGH IRISH EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND CURRAGH STAKES-Listed, €30,000, 2yo, 5fT

Field: Jack The Bachelor (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Kansas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Namiid (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Tertre Rouge (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Whatchadoin (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Ipanema Queen (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Rosie Frith (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}).

TDN Verdict: The Listed Marwell Stakes runner-up Ipanema Queen sets the standard, but not by much from the Cork one-two Jack The Bachelor and Kansas. The latter hails from the family of Invincible Spirit et al and sometimes they take a few runs to get into gear. [Tom Frary].

Sunday, Deauville, France, post time: 15:50, THE AGA KHAN STUDS PRIX JACQUES LE MAROIS-G1, €1,000,000, 3yo/up, c/f, 8fT

Field: Zabiari (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Go To First (Jpn) (Rulership (Jpn), King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}), Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), Ridari (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Japanese duo Go To First and Ascoli Piceno add Far East flavour to a stellar renewal of this one-mile test shorn of last year's G1 St James's Palace Stakes hero Rosallion. The latter's absence opens the way for The Lion In Winter, who ran third in last month's G1 Prix Jean Prat and enjoys the Ryan Moore seal of approval at the expense of G2 Minstrel Stakes-winning stablemate Diego Velazquez. Group 1 winners Notable Speech and Docklands are not without claims. [Sean Cronin].

Sunday, Deauville, France, post time: 13:58, THE AGA KHAN STUDS PRIX LADY O'REILLY (PRIX MINERVE)-G3, €73,200, 3yo, f, 12 1/2fT

Field: Zia Agnese (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Caspi Star (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Ginalyah (Ire) (Chachnak {Fr}), Rabbit's Foot (Fr) (Golden Horde {Ire}), Indalimos (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), Consent (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Pinatique (Fr) (Pintubo {Ire}), Kiamba (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Galene (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Understudy (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: In a wide-open renewal, the home defence includes G3 Prix Cleopatre victrix and recent G3 Prix de Psyche third Zia Agnese and Cleopatre third and G3 Prix de Royaumont second Indalimos, the latter bidding to reassert superiority over Royaumont fourth Ginalyah and provide Andre Fabre with a record-extending 11th edition. Royaumont fifth and G2 Prix de Malleret third Rabbit's Foot holds each-way claims. The best of the British trio is G2 Ribblesdale Stakes runner-up Understudy while Newbury novice scorer Consent hails from the Sir Mark Prescott stable and should not be underestimated. [Sean Cronin].

Sunday, Deauville, France, post time: 16:25, THE AGA KHAN STUDS PRIX FRANCOIS BOUTIN-G3, €73,200, 2yo, 7fT

Field: Rayif (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Andab (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Evanesco (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Laureate Crown (Ire) (Victor Ludorum {GB}), Bourbon Blues (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), Daytona (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Kenzel (Ire) (Zelzal {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: Last month's clear-cut Listed Pat Smullen Stakes victor Daytona will head postward as the likely favourite and sets the standard stepping up to pattern-race level for the first time. Francis Graffard representative Rayif has track experience and comes back off a debut success over six furlongs last month. The similarly undefeated  Kenzel is two-for-two and makes his stakes debut returning off seven-furlong wins at Compiegne and Dieppe. Of the others with black-type form, the Joseph O'Brien-trained G3 Marble Hill Stakes third and G2 Coventry Stakes fourth Andab makes most appeal. [Sean Cronin].

Sunday, Deauville, France, post time: 14:33, THE AGA KHAN STUDS PRIX NUREYEV-Listed, €73,200, 3yo, 10fT

Field: Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Instant Fragile (Fr) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Nitoi (Siyouni {Fr}), Purview (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Jackknife (GB) (Kameko), Mister Rizz (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Thordis (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Overseas challengers dominate entries for this competitive renewal and Listed Heron Stakes third Jackknife is taken to make a stakes breakthrough. Juddmonte's G3 Leopardstown Derby Trial and G3 Meld Stakes runner-up Purview rates an obvious danger. Wathnan Racing's G1 Derby last Damysus is better than his Blue Riband 18th and the G2 Dante Stakes runner-up should confirm York form with Sea Scout and Mister Rizz. The Andre Fabre-trained Nitoi ran second in April's G3 Prix Noailles before saluting in May's Listed Prix de Suresnes and should be thereabouts backing up a six-length 13th in June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club when last seen. [Sean Cronin].

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