Deauville Sunday

3.05 Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest (Group 1) (3yo+) 6f 110y

There are no Irish challengers and, despite Charlie Appleby saddling a pair of high class three-year-olds in Shadow Of Light and the gelded Symbol Of Honour, home domination looks likely in tomorrow’s Deauville feature, the ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest, the only Group 1 event on the European calendar run over the distance of six and a half furlongs.

Lazzat made his name with a dominant three-length success in this race 12 months ago and the Jerome Reynier-trained gelding should have little trouble in defending his crown.

Unbeaten in eight career starts over seven and a half furlongs or shorter, apart from one narrow reverse in a big money contest in Australia, he looked like a champion sprinter in waiting when last seen in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot seven weeks ago.

He denied the brilliant Japanese raider Satono Reve by half a length that day, the front pair demonstrating the extent of their superiority by pulling three lengths clear of the rest of the field.

Lazzat’s two most serious rivals could be a pair of three-year-olds from the Francis Graffard yard, Woodshauna and Rayevka.

A top level scorer at this track last time out in the seven-furlong Prix Jean Prat (when he had Shadow Of Light back in fourth), Woodshauna had earlier taken the notable scalp of the subsequent Commonwealth Cup heroine Time For Sandals in the Group 3 Prix Texanita.

He will probably not be ideally suited by this slightly shorter trip, whereas the opposite could be true for Rayevka, who may find improvement for going beyond six furlongs for the first time having been beaten by less than a length when third in that Commonwealth Cup.

The Appleby duo apart, a four-strong British challenge is completed by Edward Bethell’s Regional and the Kevin Ryan-trained Inisherin. Both are already Group 1 winners but need to bounce back from underwhelming efforts last time, and stronger claims are held by the six-year-old Topgear, who lost both his front shoes when plum last in the Jubilee and should fare much better this time around.

SELECTION: LAZZAT

Next best: Rayevka