ParisLongchamp Sunday

4.00pm Prix du Conseil de Paris (Group 2) (3yo+) 1m 3f

Joseph O’Brien has only enjoyed one French winner during his relatively short training career. But that victory came thanks to Baron Samedi in the 2020 renewal of the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris and the Co Kilkenny trainer defends his crown with a very similar type in the shape of Visualisation at ParisLongchamp tomorrow.

Like his stablemate last year, Visualisation is a fast-improving three-year-old who has graduated from handicap company and arrives here on the back of a last-time-out success at the Listowel Festival.

In purely form terms, Visualisation is a step ahead of where Baron Samedi was as his Listowel victory came in listed company.

And the son of No Nay Never also has the advantage that he is capable of going from the front – which could be a major asset given that, like so many French races, this could develop into a tactical affair.

However, the current dry spell is not in Visualisation’s favour, as he loves to get his toe in, and in a very open contest he may have to settle for minor place prize money.

Preference is for another possible pace-setter in Monty, an unusual horse given that he has been under the tutelage of no fewer than four different trainers in the last year and is now with the former German champion, Andreas Schutz. A peripatetic life clearly agrees with him as he is much improved at the age of six and seems to go on any ground.

Other interesting contenders are the late-developing André Fabre-trained Mr De Pourceaugnac, who has won his last two; the Slovak star, Opasan, winner of a Vichy listed race on a previous trip to France; and The Good Man, who posted a career best when runner-up in the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville on his latest start.

SELECTION: MONTY

Next Best: Mr De Pourceaugnac