Chantilly Sunday

Goffs Prix Robert Papin (Group 2) (2yo) 6f

The French have managed to keep the trophy for their first Group 2 juvenile contest of the season, the Prix Robert Papin, out of foreign hands just once in the last 11 years and that trend looks set to endure at Chantilly on Sunday.

The overseas domination can be continued by Joseph O’Brien’s Green Sense, who is both the sole Irish runner and the only filly in a field of five for this six-furlong event, which is being sponsored by Goffs for the first time.

Sent off third favourite for the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, the daughter of Starman could finish only 13th, but the fact that O’Brien is prepared to travel with her again so soon after that flop suggests that he has not lost faith in her ability and her earlier listed second to Lady Iman was an excellent effort.

Moojeed, the leading home hope, was successful last time out in the Group 3 Prix du Bois, the race which has been landed by the subsequent Papin hero in each of the last two years, and is trained by Francis Graffard, a man who can do little wrong at present.

However, he benefitted from a soft lead when making all in the Bois (with Imperial Me Cen, who reopposes on the same terms here, beaten by a length into third) and that form has been let down by both the runner-up, Ali Shuffle, and the fourth, Meelaf.

That beaten pair are both from the yard of Karl Burke, who is exceptionally well stocked with two-year-old talent this season.

He now presents Moojeed with a different challenge in the shape of Super Soldier, a Dark Angel colt who finished second in a strong Listed race at this track last month and probably did too much too soon before weakening late in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Coventry formline is also represented by the Archie Watson-trained Tadej, who came home over five lengths clear of Super Soldier in finishing sixth and should be able to confirm those placings here, although the margin may be reduced.

SELECTION: GREEN SENSE

Next Best: Tadej

Rest of the card

In Chantilly’s two other pattern races, Ridari, a Mikel Delzangles-trained son of Churchill who has been far from disgraced in two classics, takes on older horses for the first time as he returns to a mile in the Group 3 Prix Messidor, and Ralph Beckett’s Coronation Stakes fourth, Cathedral, will be difficult to beat in the mile and one furlong Group 3 Darley Prix Chloe.