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3.25 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Group 1) 1m

The French classic season kicks off with an open-looking renewal of the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains in living memory, where the field size of 18 is the biggest for a decade and has not been exceeded since 2008.

A four-strong Irish challenge could barely be stronger, as it includes no less than three different Group 1 winners as well as the Aidan O’Brien-trained pacemaker, Serengeti.

The Master Of Ballydoyle is responsible for a pair of those top level heroes: Henri Matisse, who flopped here when only fifth as the hot favourite for the Group 1 Prix Jean Luc Lagardere before redeeming himself with a thrilling triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and Camille Pissarro, who took advantage of his stablemate’s below par display to land the Lagardere at odds of over 12/1. Both are by Wootton Bassett, as are one-third of the field.

Ryan Moore has chosen to partner Henri Matisse, a decision made easier when the colt, who also won a pair of Group 2s and finished second in the Group 1 National Stakes last term, proved his well-being with victory in a Group 3 contest over seven furlongs at Leopardstown six weeks ago.

He only ever does just enough (none of his five victories have been achieved by more than a length) but the drying ground will be in his favour and, from a good draw in stall six, can give his trainer a sixth win in this race.

‘A masterclass’ of a ride

Less well drawn in stall 15, Camille Pissarro will again be partnered by Christophe Soumillon, who gave him what O’Brien called ‘a masterclass’ of a ride to pinch the soft ground Lagardere by a neck, swooping down the wide outside.

Like Henri Matisse, he too made an early seasonal debut under a Group 1 weight penalty back in March, though in his case he tasted defeat in a strong renewal of the Listed Gladness Stakes, going down by half a length to Big Gossey.

The Irish quartet is completed by Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell, who reached the pinnacle when getting the better of a sustained duel with another O’Brien colt, Delacroix, by a nose in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy, which was run over the full Poulains distance of a mile at Doncaster in late October.

Hotazhell had proved his quality even before then with Group 2 and Group 3 successes, but does have a length to find with Henri Matisse (who was also giving him 3lb) from their meeting in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes. And, while the Ballydoyle duo both have the benefit of a previous run this year, Hotazhell does not.

There is also a significant British representation, headed by Jonquil, who made a winning debut for Andrew Balding when lifting the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury by a length and a half. That was a good effort, given that he had not been seen since disappointing at listed level in September.

The other cross-Channel raiders are Aomori City, who may have been a trifle unfortunate when third to Henri Matisse in the Breeders’ Cup but was a well-beaten third in his comeback in the Group 3 Craven Stakes, and Detain and Luther, who filled the first two places in a valuable Chelmsford conditions race but would need serious improvement to get competitive here.

The home challenge centres around the top four finishers from the main course and distance trial, the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau, run on decent ground four weeks ago. That saw the Mikel Delzangles-trained Churchill colt, Ridari, overcome a slightly troubled passage to beat Sahlan by a nose with Misunderstood and Heybetl a length and three-quarters and a neck further back in third and fourth.

Both of the first two were making their stakes race debuts, so still have huge up sides and my suspicion is that Sahlan might just fare best of them this time.

SELECTION: HENRI MATISSE

Next best: Sahlan

4.05 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Group 1) 1m

Things could prove to be more straightforward 40 minutes later in the fillies’ equivalent, the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai de Pouliches, where 13 go to post.

O’Brien saddles four of them – Exactly, Bedtime Story, Merrily and Heavens Gate - but this is not a race that he has any great history in (his only victory came almost a quarter of a century ago) and I expect the long-time ante-post favourite, Zarigana, to land the prize for trainer Francis Graffard and owner-breeders the Aga Khan Studs.

A granddaughter of the legendary Arc heroine Zarkava, Zarigana has had a sky high reputation ever since she cantered clear on her debut last July.

The Siyouni filly suffered a shock reverse when beaten in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac in October, but that was soft ground, and she showed that her devastating burst of speed was still in place when beating the reopposing British raider, Shes Perfect, by a cosy neck over this track and trip in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte four weeks ago.

A half-length behind Zarigana in the Boussac, Exactly could do the best of the O’Brien team, though her defeat on her seasonal bow in a Leopardstown Group 3 hardly fills you with confidence.

There is every chance that Zarigana’s biggest threat may be her unbeaten Aga Khan Studs-bred stablemate, Mandanaba, but the best each-way value could lie with Celestial Orbit, runner-up in the Nell Gwyn Stakes and part of a strong cohort of three-year-old fillies that are in the hands of young British handler Ollie Sangster.

SELECTION: ZARIGANA

Next best: Celestial Orbit

Rest of the card

Graffard is again the man to follow in the other feature, the Group 2 Auguste Rodin Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary over 10 furlongs, as he saddles two of the four runners in an all-French affair including the likely winner, the Dubawi filly Audubon Park, who can take her career record to a perfect three-from-three.

SELECTION: AUDUBON PARK

Next best: Flaming Stone