Sunday Preview – Prix Maurice de Gheest & German Oaks

[Wandering Eyes]

This Sunday, Deauville Racecourse plays host to the Group 1 Larc Prix Maurice de Gheest, which is open to horses three years or older. This six and a half furlongs contest has £192,152 in prize money on offer.

The 2017 Prix Maurice de Gheest witnessed the Kevin Ryan-trained Brando take the title and the son of Pivotal is declared to run again on Sunday in a bid to take the title for the second consecutive year. The six-year-old chestnut gelding’s last outing was in the middle of July where he finished second to U S Navy Flag in the Group 1 Darley July Cup Stakes and with this run behind him and his enviable course form he will be one to watch.

Efaadah, trained by Freddy Head, may just renew the French trainers winning streak in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. His last performance on the track was in late June where he put in a strong performance under the guidance of jockey Aurelien Lemaitre to win the Group 3 Prix de la Porte Maillot.

Freddy Head is the leading winning trainer of the Prix Maurice de Gheest, taking the title six times with Marchand d’Or (2006, 2007 and 2008) and returning to the winners’ enclosure in 2011, 2012 and 2013 with Moonlight Cloud.

Polydream is the second runner for Head. The three-year-old won on her last outing under Maxime Guyon in the seven-furlong Prix du Palais-Royal at Longchamp and holds leading claims of landing this contest on the back of that.

After Larchmont Lad’s impressive performance last month at the Curragh he may be one to watch on the French track this weekend. The David O’Meara-trained four-year-old put in a strong performance to take the Group 2 seven furlongs Minstrel Stakes, by James Doyle and connections are now keen to shoot for Group 1 glory.

Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien fields three runners with Intelligence Cross, Fleet Review and Actress. Fleet Review looks to be the strongest contender as on the three-year-olds last outing he finished third at Newmarket in the July Cup is part of the Group 1 British Champions Series.

Newmarket trainer James Fanshawe send over The Tin Man in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the ground conditions of the French track may do the six-year-old gelding justice. The French style of racing may suit the son of sire Equiano, who hoping to return to the winners’ enclosure.

Selection: Brando

The Group 1 German Oaks is the feature race at Dusseldorf on Sunday where twelve fillies will be battling it out for the €500,000 purse. Andreas Wohler has won three of the last four renewals of this contest and he is set to be represented by four fillies this time around.

Chief among these is Sand Zabeel who was a Group 2 winner in Italy in June and will now be looking to add a Group 1 to her CV. She won’t have things her own way Well Timed who snugly won the Oaks trial on her most recent start which should prove the perfect prep run for the German Oaks.

Night Of England ran very well when upped in grade for a Group 3 event in Hamburg most recently having only taken her maiden prior to this. She needs to markedly step up on this form to feature but does seem to be improving.

Others to note include the Markus Klug trained Dina, Viva Gloria and Come On City.

Selection: Well Timed

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