Head For Heights

[Wandering Eyes]

Freddy Head has yet to train the winner of Chantilly’s G1 Prix de Diane Longines, but it could be that is put right on Sunday when he saddles a formidable duo in With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Luminate (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). Both come here on the back of defeats, but their previous form entitles them to maximum respect in an open year. The former, a ‘TDN Rising Star’, captured the G3 Prix des Reservoirs for owner-breeder George Strawbridge at Deauville in October, while Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Luminate was no less impressive in the G3 Prix de Conde over nine furlongs here in the same month before taking the G3 Prix Penelope over this 10 1/2-furlong trip at Saint-Cloud on May 1. With You was denied a short head by Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on her comeback in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on May 27, six days after Luminate was second before being demoted to fifth behind Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}) in the G3 Prix Cleopatre also at this distance.

Head won this four times when in the saddle and calls upon dual winner Frankie Dettori to partner Luminate. “The devil really is in the detail which can boil down to the having the best trip during the race, or the progress that these fillies are capable of making on the big occasion,” the Italian commented. “Luminate was unlucky last time and she certainly stays the trip. She has an advantage compared to the foreign fillies in that she is playing at home.” Harry Herbert, Highclere’s racing manager, added, “We feel she may be better over further and should stay a mile and a half. She’s joint top on official ratings for the race.”

Karl Burke reports Laurens in top order following her Saint-Alary win and second in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 6. “If they go a good gallop and we can get on a nice, even keel sat handy, that would be perfect,” he said. “We’ve already had a look at a mile and two and this gives us another opportunity, hopefully in a truer-run race, to see how she’s finishing her race out. I’d be very surprised if we don’t give her a go at some stage over a mile and a half, whether it’s the Irish Oaks or the Yorkshire Oaks. We’ll be dictated by how well she comes out of this race.”

The expected favourite is His Highness The Aga Khan’s Shahnaza (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}), who beat the subsequent G3 Prix de Royaumont scorer Pollara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) with a dash of finesse in Longchamp’s Listed Prix de la Seine over 11 furlongs on May 6 and would be providing her owner-breeder with an eighth winner.

Aidan O’Brien looks for a first Diane success with the G1 English and Irish 1000 Guineas third Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and she has fared well with the draw in three.

No Easy Spot For Pharrell…

Elsewhere on Chantilly’s card, the G2 Prix Hocquart Longines sees Jean-Louis Tepper’s late G1 Prix du Jockey Club withdrawal Pharrell (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) run for the first time since his success in the G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp Apr. 15. He faces tough opposition in the form of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Aspetar (Fr) (Al Kazeem {GB}), who was successful in the Listed Cocked Hat S. at Goodwood May 25, and Jean-Louis Bouchard’s dual Saint-Cloud conditions scorer Master of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

In the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac Longines, Derrick Smith’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches third Wind Chimes (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) takes on the colts including the same stable’s Apr. 29 Listed Prix du Pont Neuf winner Deemster (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Cologne’s prestigious Deutsches Derby trial, the G2 Oppenheim Union Rennen, features some colts beaten by one of that Hamburg Classic’s leading lights Royal Youmzain (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}) in the G3 Bavarian Classic at Munich May 1, with the runner-up Jimmu (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}) stepping out of his shadow.

At Cork, the G3 Munster Oaks offers the first clue as to the worth of the G1 Epsom Oaks form, with the fifth-placed Flattering (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) taking on the older fillies and mares including John Connaughton’s progressive dual listed winner Bloomfield (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

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