DEAUVILLE - SUNDAY

GOING: HOLDING

2.40 PRIX DE MEAUTRY BARRIERE (GROUP 3) 3YO+ 6F

A purely domestic sprint which nearly always, in the past, has attracted speedsters from across the Channel. It looks open and several of the runners have met in the past. The ground will be sticky but this will not be a disadvantage to Queen Bee who took the Group 3 Prix du Calvados at this track, after being bought out of a claimer for €67.235 at Longchamp.

Elie Lellouche considered her a Classic prospect earlier in the year when she was third to Ervedya in the Prix Imprudence and seventh to the same filly when unlucky in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. She is back to a perfect trip and fresh after a break of nearly two months.

Finsbury Square, Gammarth and Suedois are old rivals and the first named could have the upper hand this time although he was behind the others when fourth in the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orangis. Finsbury Square will act on the going as will Gammarth who took the Group 3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise on a similar surface last November. Since being gelded last October, The Right Man has won four races on the trot and last time out a conditions race over the course and distance.

SELECTION: QUEEN BEE

NEXT BEST: Finsbury Square

3.10 LUCIEN BARRIERE GRAND PRIX DE DEAUVILLE (GROUP 2) 3YO+ 1M 2F

Sumbal truly appeals in this last important event of the Deauville season but he comes across several very experienced campaigners who will act on the ground. Andrew Balding saddles Scottish (David Probert) in the Group 2 contest which has been used as a Qatar Arc de Triomphe trial in the past.

Sumbal hacked up in three races on testing ground earlier in the season when he took the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe by six lengths. On a good surface, he was then fifth to New Bay and Highland Reel in the Prix du Jockey Club and they have both franked the form with impressive performances since. Sumbal has had a break of three months and this longer trip should be well within his range.

Jeff Smith’s Cocktail Queen is very ground dependant and she has not been successful since taking this event a year ago. She is held by Meleagros on their running in the Group 3 Prix d’Hedouville and was runner up in the Group 2 Prix de Pomone at this track earlier in the month.

Scottish has never raced on a ground softer than good but he has decent form. Jumped up in class he ran second in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood to Highland Reel who has since cantered up in the Grade 1 in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park.

Loresho won the Group 3 Prix de Reux which is the trial for this event, Spiritjim has been disappointing since being disqualified from first place in last year’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the form of Siljan’s Saga must be respected. She lifted the Group 2 Prix Corrida last year and was fifth in the same race behind the awesome Treve in May. Last time out she landed a lady rider’s event at Vichy without flexing a muscle.

SELECTION: SUMBAL

NEXT BEST: Scottish

3.45 PRIX QUINCEY BARRIERE (GROUP 3) 3YO+ 1M

Freddy Head took this event a year ago with Solow who has since captured four Group 1 races in three different countries and he has a similar candidate this year in the form of Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Almanaar. Like Solow, he is also a gelding and now a dual Group 3 winner having picked up the Prix Paul de Moussac and the Prix Daphnis thus reversing the form with Mostaneer who had the upper hand when they made their debuts, at Deauville, just over a year ago on a very soft surface.

John Gosden knows all about the going at the Hippodrome de la Touques which he must have taken into account when deciding to send Johnny Barnes (Frankie Dettori) for this mile. He is the only three-year-old in the race and will be making his second trip to France. After a four length victory at Leicester on heavy ground, he was sent for the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud where he was four lengths second to Vert de Grece who has since been sold to Hong Kong.

Last time out, the colt was not too lucky when eighth in a Group 3 contest at Goodwood. The exquisitely-bred Faufiler won a Listed race on a testing surface and she ran third to the top class Fintry and Avenir Certain in a Group 3 race at Chantilly before a second in the Prix Messidor. On form, she holds Spoil The Fun who ran second in The Prix du Muguet back in May.

SELECTION: ALMANAAR

NEXT BEST: Johnny Barnes