Desmond Stoneham
Chantilly Saturday
12:30 QATAR PRIX CHAUDENAY (GROUP 2) 3YO 1M7F
The clue to the Prix Chaudenay may well be its trial, the Prix de Lutece, which was held at Saint-Cloud earlier this month. Princess Zahra Aga Khan’s Darbuzan was the odds-on favourite for the event and he just held on by a short neck to beat the German colt Monreal with Casterton inches away in third. It was a slowly-run race and Darbuzan, trained by Mikel Delzangles, is taken to confirm the form as he is an improving sort.
However the one they all have to beat is Ice Breeze. He won the Group 2 Prix Hoquart and was then fourth in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris but was running on at the finish. Given a summer break of two months, the colt reappeared in the Prix Niel and was a well beaten fourth behind Cracksman. That should have cleared the cobwebs for Ice Breeze who will be running over this longer trip for the first time but shapes as if it should suit.
William Haggas will saddle Queen Elizabeth’s Call To Mind in the Group 2 Chaudenay. He was a decent winner of a listed race at Goodwood at the end of August and the son of Galileo must have a good chance of making the frame. Soleil Marin has been supplemented into the race by Andre Fabre. Soon after being purchased by Godolphin, he won the Prix Noailles but has done little since. The probable soft ground will be an advantage for him as will the longer distance.
Selection: ICE BREEZE
Next best: Darbuzan
1:35 QATAR PRIX DE ROYALLIEU (GROUP 2) 3YO+ 1M4F
Listen In appears to have the right credentials to win the Prix de Royallieu over 12 furlongs. She was running well in group company before being stepped up to a mile and a half by Freddy Head. She bolted up in the Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine and the runner-up Cap Verite (runs in the Prix Chaudenay) has since franked the form by winning another listed race in Saint-Cloud.
The Juliet Rose won this Group 2 contest a year ago and she is a player here again, as she ran encouragingly on her previous run. Appearing for the first time for 10 months, she was fourth in the Prix de Pomone and behind her much fitter stablemate Traffic Jam who went on to finish fourth in the Prix Vermeille. The two meet again but The Juliet Rose will be a different proposition this time.
Alain de Royer-Dupre has won the Royallieu five times since 2009 and he runs Baiyouna. She did not start her career until the end of May and opened her account in a conditions race at Deauville in August. She was very badly hampered last time out in the Vermeille and that outing is best forgotten. Andre Fabre has supplemented Baltic Duchess and also runs Kitesurf. The former has never run over further than 10 and a half furlongs but has stamina in her pedigree. Kitesurf stays well and won the Prix de Royaumont at this track in June. When last seen, she was fifth in the Pomone and behind both Traffic Jam and The Juliet Rose.
Selection: LISTEN IN
Next best: Baiyouna
3:25 QATAR PRIX DOLLAR (GROUP 2) 3YO+ 1M2F
The Prix Dollar looks a wide-open affair and the three British runners each have a reasonable chance of at least reaching the money. Chris Wall sent First Sitting to Deauville in August and the gelding put up a brave effort to win the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron in a shock race where all eyes were on Almanzor who could only dead-heat for last place and was retired to stud a few days later.
That was the subject of all headlines but First Sitting deserved credit for holding off the challenge of Garlingari who has since franked the form with a win in the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte ahead of the Arc contender One Foot In Heaven. In his previous visit to France, Wall’s six-year-old had run third in the Group 3 La Coupe at Chantilly. The winner that day was the Harry Dunlop-trained Robin of Navan and Garlingari was the runner-up so there is not much between these three experienced campaigners.
Because he is French-bred, and so is eligible for the generous owners’ premiums, Robin Of Navan has spent most of his career competing in France.
His latest effort came in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp where he finished an excellent fourth to Ribchester over a trip likely to be short of his best. He is a course and distance winner and acts on all surfaces and he should up a big performance.
Corine Barande-Barbe, who is the trainer of Garlingari, won the Dollar three times with Cirrus Des Aigles and any rain will help the chances of her contender today.
Selection: ROBIN OF NAVAN
Next best: Garlingari
4:12 QATAR PRIX DU CADRAN (GROUP 1) 4YO+ 2M 4½F
There might not be rich pickings at the highest level for the home team during the Qatar Arc de Triomphe weekend but the Aga Khan’s Vazirabad could set the ball rolling for the French by winning the Prix du Cadran.
The gelding will be aiming to go one better in this Group 1 stayers’ event as he was caught late home by Roger Charlton’s Quest For More 12 months ago.
This season Vazirabad won at Meydan and then beat two others when capturing the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier before a setback which kept him off the track for over three months. He reappeared in the Group 3 Prix Gladiateur and was a comfortable winner.
Vazirabad is not the easiest of rides as he can idle when in front but Christophe Soumillon knows the five-year-old well. The danger will be Big Orange. Michael Bell’s popular six-year-old was the brave winner of the Ascot Gold Cup was last seen finishing second to subsequent St Leger third Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup. On Meydan form, Big Orange is well held by Vazirabad, however.
Mille Et Mille won the Cadran in 2015 but is less of a force now. He couldn’t win a race last year and has only picked up two small races over a mile and a half this season.
Selection: VAZIRABAD
Next best: Big Orange
4:42 QATAR PRIX DANIEL WILDENSTEIN (GROUP 2) 3YO+ 1M
Taareef looks a good thing to land back-to-back victories in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein. He was successful twice at Group 3 level this season in the Prix Bertrand du Breuil and Prix Messidor before pulling his way out of contention in the Prix Jacques Le Marois when a disappointing fifth to Al Wukair. He made amends for that dent in his reputation by running an excellent second to Ribchester over the course and distance in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
Dicton had the upper hand over Taareef at the beginning of last season but was well beaten by his old foe in this race a year ago. After a break of three months, Dicton finished close to Wireless when third in the Group 3 Prix Quincey last time so there is not much between the two.
William Haggas sends Hathal over from Newmarket for the Group 2 event. The five-year-old has not won for over a year and was a decent third in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood when last seen. Freddy
Head saddles Gold Luck. She won the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux and has since run well when third in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat and was not beaten far when behind Taareef in the Group 1 Jacques Le Marois.
Andre Fabre has supplemented Buthela which is an interesting decision as the colt has never run at this level and was last seen winning a conditions event at Saint-Cloud. The German runners are Wonnemond and Noor Al Hawa.
The former won the Group 2 International Topkapi Trophy (beat Saeed Bin Suroor’s Dream Castle) at Veliefendi earlier this month and Noor Al Hawa was campaigned in Doha and is now back at his best distance, over which he won a pair of Group 3 races at Dusseldorf last year.
Selection: TAAREEF
Next best: Gold Luck