Desmond Stoneham

CHANTILLY SUNDAY

1.10 TOTAL PRIX MARCEL BOUSSAC (CRITERIUM DES POULICHES) (GROUP 1) 1M

This top juvenile fillies event looks competitive. Aidan O’Brien is onto a hat-trick after the success of Found and Ballydoyle last year. This time he fields Promise To Be True. She was the easy winner of a Group 3 race at Leopardstown and then made favourite for the Moyglare Stud Stakes but could only manage fifth place on yielding ground.

Jean-Claude Rouget has a strong hand to play. He has put Christophe Soumillon on the unbeaten First Of Spring. She was apprentice-ridden when taking two races over six furlongs at Deauville and was impressive each time. The daughter of Galileo should have no problem staying the mile. Rouget also runs the highly-rated Toulifaut in the colours of Andy Smith. A daughter of Frankel, she landed a hat-trick when taking the Group 3 Prix d’Aumale over the course and distance last month from Normandel, who takes up the challenge again.

John Gosden looks to have something really special in Dabyah. She is being stepped up in distance and considerably in class following a nine-length victory in a conditions race at Newbury on soft ground. Charlie Appleby must think a great deal of Wuheida. First time out, she was made favourite for a maiden at Newmarket. She won and the runner-up has since franked the form. Baileys Showgirl’s last three races have been in France. She won a listed contest at this track and was then Group 3-placed twice and notably behind Cavale Doree in the Prix du Calvados; the two meet again. Senga is a filly going the right way, she won convincingly over the trip at Saint-Cloud and looks to have bags of room for improvement.

Selection: TOULIFAUT

Next best: Promise To Be True

1.45 QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDERE (GRAND CRITERIUM) (GROUP 1) 1M

Aidan O’Brien has won this race on seven occasions but not since 2006. It looks a little substandard this year and both King Of Spades and the filly Thais have been supplemented.

The Ballydoyle team is made up by Whitecliffsofdover, the mount of Ryan Moore, and Utah. The former impressed when winning his maiden at Naas and was then staying on in second place at Newmarket in a seven-furlong Group 3 contest. This mile will suit the son of War Front. Utah opened his account at the Curragh and was then top-weight in a nursery at Tipperary where he was a well-beaten second on soft ground.

Pascal Bary has decided to take on the colts with Thais and she won for the first time over a mile at Saint-Cloud beating Normandel, who lines up for the Prix Marcel Boussac. King Of Spades won a claimer at Deauville and was then runner-up in the Group 3 Prix Eclipse over six furlongs. He tackles a mile for the first time.

Trained by Sylvester Kirk, Salouen will be running for the eighth time and he won over this distance in a novice stakes at Salisbury last month. Kontrastat looks smart. He is going for a hat-trick and was the easy winner of the Group 3 Prix La Rochette, which is a trial for this race.

Criquette Head trains National Defense, who trounced his rivals first time out at Deauville before a third in the Group 3 Prix des Chenes over this course and distance.

Selection: WHITECLIFFSOFDOVER

Next best: Thais

2.20 PRIX DE L’OPERA LONGINES (GROUP 1) 1M 2F

The English and Irish look sure to make their presence felt here. So Mi Dar should make up for her dam’s cruel demotion after winning the Prix Vermeille in 2009. The daughter of Dubawi has yet to taste defeat in four races, which include a four-length victory in the Musidora at York before a listed success at Yarmouth.

James Fanshawe has already had considerable success with Speedy Boarding in France. Back in May, the filly landed the Group 2 Prix Corrida from the Arc hope Siljan’s Saga and she went one better at Deauville where the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet went her way.

Jim Bolger will field Godolphin’s Pleascach. She has not been out for over a year but she beat Found in the Irish 1000 Guineas last season before winning the Yorkshire Oaks. After a fourth to the subsequent Arc winner, Golden Horn, in the Irish Champion Stakes, a muscle injury led her to missing this race 12 months ago.

The main French hope of keeping this prize at home is Jemayel. She landed the Group 1 Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville in May and has since been third to Minding in the Nassau at Goodwood and runner-up to La Cressonniere in the Nonette. The German filly Royal Solitaire looks to be better than her travelling companion Pagella who looks out of her depth.

Royal Solitaire is however well held by Speedy Boarding on Deauville form, as is Sea Front.

Selection: SO MI DAR

Next best: Speedy Boarding.

3.05 QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE (GROUP 1) 1M 4F

The draw at Chantilly should not be as critical as Longchamp. In 2010, in the shorter (10½ furlongs) Prix du Jockey Club, Lope De Vega won by three lengths. He was drawn 20 out of the 22 runners. The mile and a half at Chantilly is virtually straight for about seven furlongs before the turn. The three-furlong straight is uphill for one and three-quarter furlongs before levelling out in the final stages.

Irish contenders must have a leading chance of taking a share of the enormous purse. Dermot Weld saddles the Aga Khan’s dual Derby winner Harzand, while the Ballydoyle team is composed of Found, Highland Reel and Order Of St George. However, the one they all have to beat is the formidable Postponed and Britain will also be represented by The Grey Gatsby.

It would be dangerous not to take the chance of the Japanese runner Makahiki seriously and he has a lot to recommend him.

The French horses look a little light on the ground and their leading chance of keeping the Arc at home is probably down to Left Hand.

Postponed is a justified favourite. Apart from a fifth on his debut, the son of Dubawi has never been out of the first four in 17 races. Since winning the Prix Foy last year, the five-year-old has won the Dubai Sheema Classic, the Investec Coronation Cup and the Juddmonte International at York. On that form, he holds Found, Highland Reel and several others. Like a classified growth wine, Postponed is improving with age.

Harzand did not open his account until March but triumphed in the Investec Derby and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby before an eighth in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes. That performance should be ignored as the colt was struck into during the race.

Found is an amazing filly. She has been runner-up in five Group 1s this year and was extremely unlucky in the Arc a year ago when ninth to Golden Horn. She took her revenge later in the month when beating her old rival in the Breeders’ Cup Turf race at Keeneland. Last time out in the Irish Champion Stakes, she was just run out of first place by the French classic winner Almanzor.

Highland Reel was seventh in the same race and beaten by Postponed in the International at York after winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, where his stablemate Order Of St George won the Gold Cup before his second place in the Irish St Leger.

The Japanese have been trying to win the Arc for many years but so far have had to be content with four second places. Can Makahiki go one better? He has plenty in his favour being a lightly-raced horse (six outings), a course and distance winner with a fast time in the straight and a rider, Christophe Lemaire, who knows Chantilly like the back of his hand. The colt has won the Japanese Derby and recently the Prix Niel with plenty still in the tank. The son of Deep Impact will be taking on older horses for the first time.

Left Hand will be making her debut against the opposite sex and she is the only three-year-old filly in the race. Under the weather early on, she was runner-up in the Prix de Diane Longines and has since picked up the Prix de Psyche and the Prix Vermeille. Carlos Laffon-Parias won the Arc for the Wertheimer brothers in 2012 with Solemia and his Dubawi filly should make her presence felt in the straight.

André Fabre has won the French flagship event a record seven times so his runners must be respected. New Bay was third in the race a year ago after beating Highland Reel in the Jockey Club but had training problems earlier on in the season. He looked back to his best when taking the Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville and was a respectable fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes. On last year’s form he comfortably holds the Prix Foy winner, Silverwave.

Fabre’s other runner is Talismanic. He has been racing with the best for part of the season and recently trotted up in a listed race at Saint-Cloud over a mile and a half.

Although a recent winner over the distance, Migwar looks out of his depth, as do One Foot In Heaven and Savoir Vivre. The latter recently won the Grand Prix de Deauville.

The Grey Gatsby has not won since winning the Prix du Jockey Club and Irish Champion Stakes in 2014.

Siljan’s Saga is much better on testing ground and Vedevani will be setting the pace for Harzand from a decent low draw.

Selection: POSTPONED

Next best: Found

4.35 QATAR PRIX DE L’ABBAYE DE LONGCHAMP (GROUP 1) 5F

This famous sprint looks at the mercy of English and, to a certain extent, Irish raiders. Now that Mecca’s Angel appears to act on good ground, she has to have a leading chance to win this five-furlong dash, which was picked up by Maarek in 2013 and Goldream last year. They are both going to have another bite at the cherry.

Mecca’s Angel came to France for the first time in May of last year and won the Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp. The grey mare has since landed a double in the Coolmore Nunthorpe at York and also a Group 2 contest at the Curragh. She was hampered when running down the field in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, which was won by her old rival, Profitable.

Just Glamorous was outstanding when he won his first group race. It was in the Prix du Petit Couvert over the course and distance last month and he smashed the track record, beating Marsha, Goldream and Porthilly, and they all take up the challenge again.

Aidan O’Brien has sent Washington DC for the Abbaye but he has yet to make the grade at this level. The only two-year-old in the race is the John Gosden-trained Ardad. The colt is unbeaten over five furlongs and recently won the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster in good style.

Son Cesio looks the best of the French and he took the Prix du Gros-Chene in June over the course and distance from Finsbury Square, who later won the Prix de Meautry at Deauville.

Selection: MECCA’S ANGEL

Next best: Just Glamorous

5.10 QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET (GROUP 1) 7F

Limato can go one better in this race and he should have his ground. Last year, he was beaten fair and square in second place and probably has weaker opposition on this occasion. He hung right when running out a comfortable winner of the Darley July Cup in the summer and should again account for Suedois. At York, he probably found the five furlongs a little sharp when going under by two lengths to Mecca’s Angel. This distance looks perfect and he has won a Group 2 event at Doncaster over it.

Suedois has since run fourth in the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and third in the 32 Red Sprint Cup at Doncaster. The Prix du Pin was the trial for the Foret and Attendu finished ahead of Karar and Coulsty; there seems no reason why this order should change.

André Fabre has always liked Jimmy Two Times. He took the Group 3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at Deauville and was in front of Suedois in the Mauirce de Gheest last time out. Birchwood ran last in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains when previously in France but has since won a listed race at Chester.

The former South African multiple Grade 1 winner Same Jurisdiction, now with Ed Dunlop, makes his debut in France after a fourth in a Group 3 contest at Doncaster. Spectre is a most under-rated horse. The German-trained filly won the Prix Imprudence in April and has since been placed in the Jean Prat, Jacques Le Marois and Moulin de Longchamp. It looks a tough race for Moon Trouble and Harry’s Son. Trixia comes back to seven furlongs after pulling very hard early on when fifth in the Moulin.

Selection: LIMATO

Next best: Jimmy Two Times