Another short and sweet article for you this week as I am heading off to Paris for the Arc meeting shortly and will be reporting back after the event. I last went when Hurricane Run won the race under Kieren Fallon back join 2005 (where did those years go), and to be honest, I found the whole experience a bit of a let down. It felt (rightly or wrongly) that 90% o the crowd were drunken Brits, some of the people I was with never left the bar or saw a single horse, and I am yet to be convinced the race deserves to be seen as the best in Europe when it is run at the tail end of a long season, and invariably on a far softer surface than most of the contenders would prefer.
This year, I am heading off to meet a long list of International journalists so hopefully things will be very different, though I can’t wait to talk to the Australians about the debacle that saw Verry Elleegant miss the Arc and be redirected to the Prix de Royallieu on the Saturday instead – I bet they are steaming. Why they cannot bend the rules to at least let her declare for both races, then switch to Saturday if she fails to make the Arc cut is beyond me, and looks like a “jobsworth” attitude that European racing could really do without.
I am not going to go through the Longchamp races for you as most of them will prove beyond my tiny brain (how familiar are you with French form – same here), but I have cherry-picked the races I will be betting on personally, so best of luck if you are naïve enough to follow me in!
Longchamp Saturday
Verry Elleegant 1.33pm
I cannot resist a little bet on the Aussie mare who deserves to win this as some kind of compensation for all her issues since arriving in France. She has won over distances from seven furlongs to two miles, on ground from Good to Heavy, and it seems like she will handle whatever is thrown at her. She won the Melbourne Cup last year by four lengths and is so obviously better than the French handicapper decided that it is laughable, and a big run is eagerly anticipated, hopefully a winning one.
Denmark 2.50pm
The O’Brien two-year-olds remain at the top of their game and if the son of Camelot is as good as he looked when winning on his debut at Naas he could be a class act. Ryan Moore was dumped on his butt after the line that day suggesting we have a horse with a bit of character about him, though this is a big field of unknowns and my bet assize will be reduced accordingly.
Kyprios 3.25pm
The best stayer around bar none at the moment and as long as he handles the going he is the banker of the day for me. Five wins from five starts this year, the last three in Group One company and including the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and the Irish St Leger. Class act and one I cannot oppose.
Longchamp Sunday
Titleholder 3.05pm
Firstly, I cannot remember the last time I backed the winner of the Arc – possibly Dancing Brave, and that was in 1986 (if you aren’t old enough watch this, simply incredible) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006B8vgTLs0), so you have been warned! It is a wide-open renewal to put it mildly and I did consider Luxembourg, Alpinista, Vadeni and Westover, but the Japanese will win this one day, so why not this year? The softer going is the great unknown for my selection having never faced it in his life, but he arrives here with top form in his home Country, winning all three starts this year , the last two by seven and two lengths at the highest level available to him. His Dam’s sire is Motivator which gives me some hope the conditions will not be his undoing, and at 10/1 or so I will be backing him each way for the fun of it.
Nashwa 3.50pm Longchamp
A filly I have always liked and after just the six career starts, there may be more to come. Third in the Epsom Oaks when failing to see out the mile and a half, she has won both starts since, one at Chantilly (French Oaks) and the other at Goodwood (Nassau Stakes), and if she takes to the track here and the softer going, she ought to prove difficult to beat
UK Saturday
2.25pm Ascot
It’s a big weekend for racing full stop and I am heading over to Paris for the Arc for the first time in many a year looking forward to a good weekend – though rain is forecast and all things may well be possible. Before then we have plenty of racing over this side of the channel and my first suggestions today runs at Ascot in the 2.25pm when the lightly raced Hamish looks the best bet of the day. Trained by William Haggas in Newmarket, the six-year-old has only had the two runs this season, winning at Chester in May and finishing second to Kyprios (no disgrace there) in the Irish St Leger, beaten less than a length by the best stayer in training. He does have t give weight away today and drops back in trip which is presumably why he is forecast odds against, but this represents a drop in class, and he looks by far the likeliest winner.
2.42pm Newmarket
My second suggestion today comes with all sorts of risk attached as the Gosden’s ask the unbeaten Laurel to step up in class and show her true abilities in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket. The daughter of Kingman has really impressed me so far with easy wins on the July course here and on the all-weather at Kempton, but this represents a huge step up in class from a Class Four Novice Stakes to a Group One! She is currently priced around the 7/1 mark making her an each way play, but they say you never know how good a horse is until they are beaten, and I cannot personally let her run unbacked.
3.42pm Newmarket
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin introduce two nice colts this afternoon, but the word I am hearing is that Military Order is the one they expect the most from first time out. A son of the legendary Frankel out of Group three winner Anna Salai, he is a full brother to Epsom Derby winner Adayar so no wonder they have big expectations for him, though naturally we don’t know for certain exactly how wound up he is or how far forward. Overall the stable are in great form (and have served us well in recent weeks) so he is worth the risk – though Saturdays are difficult days and anything could happen.
Sean’s Suggestions:
Hamish 2.25pm Ascot
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