Saint-Cloud Saturday

2.50 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Group 1) (2yo Colts & Fillies) 1m 2f

A week before Aidan O’Brien is to make a huge raid on the Breeders’ Cup meeting in California (including seven possible juvenile runners), and on the same weekend that he is responsible for five of the six Vertem Futurity Stakes runners in Doncaster, the Ballydoyle maestro will be well represented in a pair of two-year-old Group 1 races taking place in France this coming weekend.

Both will be run on very heavy ground meaning that today’s mile and a quarter Criterium de Saint-Cloud will be an extreme test of stamina. Nine go to post and O’Brien has declared three: the recent maiden winners, Celtic High King and Arthur’s Kingdom, plus Mythical, beaten favourite when fourth of eight in a Newmarket Group 3 over this trip a fortnight ago.

Set to be ridden, just as he was for his Leopardstown win, by Emmet McNamara, Celtic High King may offer the best value of the trio – by Galileo and out of the classic-winning Homecoming Queen, he could barely be better bred.

There are also two British challengers: Brian Meehan’s mud-loving Royal Lodge Stakes fifth, Sound Of Cannons, and Andrew Balding’s Via De Vega, who conjured a brilliant late burst to get up close home at Sandown on his only start to date.

But preference is for the locals with Pao Alto, runaway winner of a provincial listed race on his latest outing, just getting the nod ahead of The Summit.

SELECTION: PAO ALTO

Next best: The Summit

Today’s Saint-Cloud card also includes three Group 3 affairs, the most interesting being the one-mile Prix Perth in which Andre Fabre’s Plumatic must carry a penalty on his return from a long absence and should therefore be worth opposing with the unbeaten Miss O’Connor, who began her career with Johnny Feane in Co Kildare but is now part of William Haggas’s Newmarket stable.

ParisLongchamp Sunday

2.45 Prix Royal-Oak (Group 1) (3yo+) 1m 7f 110y

Holdthasigreen defends his Prix Royal-Oak crown when part of a strong field of eight which includes two Group 1 winners plus four more that have prevailed in Group 2 company.

Holdthasigreen proved himself back to rude health when beating Call The Wind by three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran over an extra four and a half furlongs three weeks ago.

However, that is the first time in four meetings that Call The Wind has finished behind his rival and, with this shorter trip in his favour and Olivier Peslier in the saddle, the tables could be turned.

Following the late scratching of O’Brien’s Delphinia, a three-strong overseas challenge is led by the British pair of Martyn Meade’s Prix de Chaudenay hero, Technicican, and Lah Ti Dar, representing the John Gosden-Frankie Dettori combination.

SELECTION: CALL THE WIND

Next best: Holdthasigreen

3.20 Criterium International (Group 1) (2yo Colts & Fillies) 7f

Ireland is responsible for three of the four runners in the Criterium International with Wichita and Armory representing Aidan O’Brien, while his son, Joseph, saddles Lady Penelope, recently purchased by Phoenix Throughbreds and a late addition to the field as a supplementary entry.

Wichita was most impressive on his penultimate start in Group 3 company at Newmarket but then was scuppered by the testing underfoot conditions when third in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at the same venue. He boasts the best form but is overlooked on account of the heavy ground.

Armory showed that he can handle a soft surface when third in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere over a mile at this venue on Arc Day. He has a furlong less to travel here and can reverse placings with the German-trained Lagardere runner-up, Alson.

Lady Penelope will have to step up on her Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte fourth to win here but need only beat one of her three opponents to achieve an all-important Group 1 placing.

SELECTION: ARMORY

Next best: Alson