SAINT-CLOUD - SUNDAY

THE Aga Khan’s Vazirabad has a good chance of becoming the first horse to land a hat-trick in the Prix Royal-Oak since it was opened to older horses in 1979 but he faces hardened stayers from both England and Ireland.

Willie Mullins runs the versatile Renneti in the Group 1 contest, the Andrew Balding stable is represented by Montaly and Archie Watson will saddle the much improved Brandon Castle.

The visitors do not have an easy task as Vazirabad loves the left-handed Saint-Cloud and the mile and seven furlongs distance is his best, although the gelding did win the two and a half-mile Prix du Cadran earlier in the month at Chantilly. He will again come up against Mille Et Mille who made a gallant attempt to make all before going under by half a length.

To be ridden by champion jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot, Renneti is a Grade 2 winner over hurdles and he took his first Group 3 race on the flat when romping home in the Loughbrown Stakes at Naas last month.

Montaly (Oisin Murphy) won the Chester Cup in May and then the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York but was only sixth in the Doncaster Cup last time out.

FIRST TIME

Brandon Castle (Andrew Mullen) has improved out of all recognition since joining Watson. He runs in top group company for the first time but has bolted up in his last three outings by distances normally associated with jump events.

The three-year-old Ice Breeze is very consistent and was brave when landing the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay over this distance for the first time.

The German contender Oriental Eagle won his first group race at Dortmund last month and is on a hat-trick. The only filly in the Royal-Oak is the three-year-old Kitesurf. She was a Group 3 winner at Chantilly in June and was a close third in the Prix de Royallieu last time. Holdthasigreen is held by Vazirabad on Prix Gladiateur form but a thoroughly genuine stayer.

There is a strong English challenge for the Group 3 Prix de Flore. The cross-Channel visitors consist of Intimation (Mickael Barzalona), Company Asset (Tom Eaves) and Pleasant Surprise (Jamie Spencer). The 10 and a half-furlong fillies’ race looks open and Listen In has a good chance of landing her first race in this category.

She was second in the Prix Royallieu after being short of room for a furlong in the straight. Luca Cumani trains Pleasant Surprise. She was second in a listed race at this track last month and runner-up last time out in a Group 3 contest at Newmarket.

Company Asset’s first run in a listed race was here in September when she was a well-beaten second to the Cumani-trained Rosental. Sir Michael Stoute’s Intimation has not won since landing a listed race at Naas last October. Antonia Devin (nee Feeney) has a good chance of being in the frame with Golden Legend who is trained by her son Henri-Francois. This filly was a Group 3 winner when last seen and is very much on the upgrade.

Coolmore’s Galileo filly Ma Cherie has something to find in the form book and Normandel might well find Golden Legend too good for her again.

Prix Royal-Oak

Selection: VAZIRABAD

Next best: Renneti

Prix de Flore

SELECTION: LISTEN IN

Next best: Golden Legend