Opening Salvo

[Wandering Eyes]

ParisLongchamp opens its doors once more on Sunday, where the G2 Prix d’Harcourt takes centre stage as the first true test of some of France’s leading older horses. This renewal looks wide-open, with one of the least exposed being Juddmonte’s G2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Finche (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who like so many others was no match for Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) when third trying to put it up to that formidable rival in Chantilly’s G2 Prix Niel in September. Trainer Andre Fabre, who holds the record in this with 10 wins, also saddles Godolphin’s generally disappointing Soleil Marin (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) and Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park’s Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). The latter ended up in 2017 with a fourth placing in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern over 12 furlongs at Munich in November, which may be as good as he is, but his earlier short-head second to Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}) in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and fourth in the G1 Irish Derby suggest he is capable of taking higher rank with another winter behind him.

Air Pilot (GB) (Zamindar) had six of these rivals in arrears when taking the 10-furlong G3 Prix Exbury on bottomless ground at Saint-Cloud Mar. 17, but is handed a three-pound penalty as a result while fellow British-trained raider Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) has it to prove on his first try in black-type company. Successful in four of his last five starts in handicaps, Abdullah Saeed’s progressive 4-year-old was last seen scoring over this trip at Newbury in October.

 

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