Parislongchamp Sunday

2.50 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Group 1) (3yo+) 1m

Dancing Gemini and Rosallion, two British-trained ‘nearly’ horses of the current flat season, bid for an elusive Group 1 triumph when they take on Aidan O’Brien’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains victor, Henri Matisse, in the Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at Longchamp tomorrow.

O’Brien also saddles The Lion In Winter but it would take a huge leap of faith to believe that this son of Sea The Stars, who was widely believed to be the best of the Ballydoyle three-year-olds at the start of the year, can rescue a season which hit a new low last time out when he failed to beat a single rival in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois.

It is hard to pick between Dancing Gemini and Rosallion, who will be meeting for the third time this campaign, over this mile trip on each occasion.

Hailing from the small Lambourn yard of Roger Teal, Dancing Gemini came out on top in their initial clash in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes back in May, but still had to settle for second place, a neck behind another member of tomorrow’s line-up, Lead Artist, with Rosallion back in third.

Poster boy

The poster boy for the Richard Hannon stable after three Group 1 wins in previous seasons, Rosallion left both Lead Artist and Dancing Gemini well in his wake in the following month’s Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, when he was touched off in a tight photo finish by Docklands.

The son of Blue Point was then given too much to do when failing to catch the 150/1 pacemaker, Qirat, in the Sussex Stakes before a fourth consecutive Group 1 outing resulted in a close fourth place when dropping back to seven furlongs in the City Of York Stakes.

Allowed two months off to get over his Queen Anne disappointment, Dancing Gemini bounced back to finish third, only a length behind the winner, Diego Velazquez, in the Marois, a race Rosallion was forced to miss because of a stone bruise.

A fine second in last year’s Poulains on his only previous visit to this track, Dancing Gemini may just manage to hold off his old adversary this time, but it will be tight.

Henri Matisse has two and a quarter lengths to find with Rosallion from when he filled the minor place berth in the Sussex. He has already enjoyed a fine career, as that was his third Group 1 placing to go alongside a brace of top level victories.

Of those likely to trade at longer odds, Sahlan, who gained rave reviews from his trainer, Francis Graffard, when bouncing back to form in Group 3 company four weeks ago and has been deemed worthy of a supplementary entry here, looks the most capable of springing a surprise.

SELECTION: DANCING GEMINI

Next Best: Rosallion

3.25 Qatar Prix Vermeille (Group 1) (3yo+ Fillies & Mares) 1m 4f

Whirl can confirm Aidan O’Brien’s domination of Europe’s middle distance filly division by lowering the colours of last year’s Arc runner-up Aventure, in the other Group 1 on the Longchamp card, the Qatar Prix Vermeille over a mile and a half.

Aventure will be looking to go one better than in this race last year, but does lack a recent run having not been seen since chasing home Calandagan in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud back in June.

Whirl, by contrast, has been kept going through the summer and followed a fine second behind her stablemate, Minnie Hauk, in the Oaks at Epsom with a pair of convincing Group 1 victories in the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Nassau Stakes.

Survie, who was third in the Pretty Polly, may again have to content herself with playing a minor role but makes more appeal than Gezora, who has not raced since landing the Group 1 Prix de Diane 12 weeks ago.

The form of that classic has not worked out particularly well.

SELECTION: WHIRL

Next best: Aventure

1.33 Qatar Prix Foy (Group 2) (4yo+) 1m 4f

Arc Trials Day has been brought forward a week in the calendar this year to beef up the Moulin card and, while the Vermeille has attracted a smaller than usual field, the Group 2 Qatar Prix Foy, often the weakest of the three trials, looks like a vintage renewal.

Iresine, a dual Group 1 winner who is now eight years old, will be running in the Foy for a fifth straight year, his victory 12 months ago coming on the back of a second, a first and a third. It is a mark of the quality of this year’s event that he is highly unlikely to make the frame this time around.

Sosie, a dual Group 1 winner at this course in the spring, sets the standard alongside the O’Brien-trained Los Angeles, who will surely strip a good deal fitter here than when only fourth on his recent comeback in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes.

Los Angeles was himself successful at the highest level at the start of this season, having finished third in last term’s Arc.

Other intriguing contenders are Almaqam, who took the notable scalp of Ombudsman at Sandown in May, and the Japanese raider, Byzantine Dream.

Yet, they all may struggle to overcome Jean Claude Rouget’s Arrow Eagle, who has proved more of a late developer than his Arc-winning half-brother Ace Impact, but has won all four of his 2024 starts, including the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly and the Group 3 Prix d’Hedouville.

SELECTION: ARROW EAGLE

Next Best: Los Angeles

4.00 Qatar Prix Niel (Group 2) (3yo) 1m 4f

O’Brien saddles two long absent but highly-promising sorts in Swagman and Aftermath in the three-year-old colts Arc trial, the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel, while his son, Joseph, is represented by Tennessee Stud, third in the Epsom Derby before finishing fourth in the Irish equivalent on his latest appearance.

All three are likely to need the run in an event where Andre Fabre’s Cualificar, runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club, can take advantage of having had a pipe-opener when second in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano and make his superior fitness pay to beat the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris hero, Leffard.

SELECTION: CUALIFICAR

Next: Leffard