Desmond Stoneham

LONGCHAMP SUNDAY

12.30 Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert (Group 3) 3yo+ 5f

Catcall appears to have a good set of credentials to win this trial for the Abbaye de Longchamp. He is a course and distance winner and better off with the weights with two of his principal rivals compared to a year ago when third to the dead-heaters Dibaaj and Mirza who takes up the challenge again. Catcall went on to win the Prix de Saint-Georges with Mirza fifth but giving 4lb in weight on that occasion. The Alex Pantall-trained Rangali ran seventh in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York having back in June defeated Catcall (gave 7lb) two lengths in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly. Penmaen is on a hat-trick and bang on form so she may make her presence felt when the chips are down.

Selection: CATCALL

Next best: Rangali

1.30 Qatar Prix Niel (Group 2) 3yo colts and fillies 1m 4f

Ectot makes his long awaited reappearance and will be running over more than a mile for the first time in his career. A training setback led to the son of Le Havre missing the classic season but he won the Prix de Fontainebleau from Karakontie who went on to win the Poule d’Essai des Poulains. Now 50% owned by Al Shaqab Racing and a possible Arc ride for Frankie Dettori, Ectot will have the assistance of the pacemaker Serans but it is a big ask for a first run over a mile and a half after a break of five months. On very soft ground, Coolmore’s Gallante stayed on well to win the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris ahead of Prince Gibraltar, Teletext and Free Port Lux. The son of Montjeu has not been out since and will be racing on a very different surface (probably good to firm) in the Niel and this will favour Teletext. Aidan O’Brien sends the much travelled Adelaide back to France where back in May he was just caught by Free Port Lux at the end of the Group 2 Prix Hocquart where Gallante was two lengths away third. Never out of the first two in six outings, the son of Galileo won the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park last month. Elliptique has yet to produce his two -year-old form and was sixth in the Hocquart last time out. The up and coming Vadamos is an interesting outsider.

Selection: ADELAIDE

Next best: Ectot

2.45 Qatar Vermeille (Group 1) 3yo+ fillies and mares 1m 4f

Last year’s Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve should redeem her reputation in this race which she won a year ago. Thierry Jarnet will be again in the saddle and anything close to her form should suffice even though the filly has not been out since her third in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. She will again have firmish ground which might not be ideal after her back problems and also earlier issues with her feet. The daughter of Motivator began the season in the Prix Ganay in April when she went down by a short neck to a fitter Cirrus Des Aigles who went on to capture the Investec Coronation Cup. Treve never really fired at Ascot and Criquette Head-Maarek has not decided that the filly does not show her best when ridden by Frankie Dettori. It will not be a walkover as the Aga Khan is represented by Dolniya and she is improving with every outing. Last seen at the end of June, the daughter of Azamour won the Group 2 Abu Dhabi Prix de Malleret without pulling out all the stops. John Gosden will saddle Pomology (William Buick) who beat Sultanina (Ryan Moore) comfortably in the bet 365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock. The former came over to Deauville last month and won the Group 3 Prix Minerve.

Selection: TREVE

Next best: Dolniya

3.25 Qatar Prix Foy (Group 2) 4yo+ colts and fillies 1m 4f

This looks a good opportunity for Ruler Of The World to visit the winner’s enclosure for the first time since he won the Investec Derby at Epsom last year. This will be a tactical race so Frankie Dettori is a good man to have on your side, on board the son of Galileo for the first time. Ruler Of The World was just touched off by the Japanese runner Kizuna in this race last year before taking seventh place in the Arc. Aidan O’Brien then sent him to Ascot for the Qipco Champion Stakes when he was third to Farhh and the colt has not been out since a below par performance in the Dubai World Cup. Flintshire was behind Ruler Of The World in the Niel having previously won the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris. The colt has had training problems this year and, after a second to Cirrus Des Aigles in the Investec Coronation Cup, he was promoted to fourth place in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and has not been seen out since. Spiritjim won the Grand Prix but was disqualified and he is also down to run in the Foy. This improving son of Galileo never wins by far. Aidan O’Brien’s other runner Kingsbarns has not won since his two-year-old days but he is very consistent and running over a mile and a half for the first time.

Selection: RULER OF THE WORLD

Next best: Kingsbarns

3.55 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Group 1) 3yo+ colts and fillies 1m

Toronado has had just two races this season and both were fine performances although he was defeated in the Qipco Sussex Stakes by no less than Kingman who swooped late at Goodwood to win by a length. Previously, Toronado had dominated the final stages of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. It will be a first trip abroad for the son of High Chaparral. Richard Hannon also fields his Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder. He beat Kingman in the English Classic but revenge was later taken in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Night Of Thunder patently did not stay when eighth of nine in the Coral Eclipse Stakes and back to a mile he could be a danger to all. The French have two Group 1 winners to hold off the English. Esoterique is a top class filly as she showed when taking the Prix Rothschild at Deauville from her stablemate and Qipco 1000 Guineas winner Miss France and Integral, who had easily beaten her in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Charm Spirit was fifth in the 2000 Guineas and more recently the winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly. Bawina has always been highly rated and is now beginning to show her true worth with a win at Deauville in the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey.

Selection: ESOTERIQUE

Next best: Toronado

4.25 Qatar Prix Gladiateur (Group 3) 4yo+ 1m 71/2f

Domeside is the class act but he might, like several others, not appreciate the probable quick ground. He has performed just once since winning this race last year when he took the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier. Trained by James Fanshawe, High Jinx is a regular visitor to France where in July he took the Listed Prix de Carrousel and he should again hold Trip To Rhodos. Ederan looks bang on form and will like the ground. Cases can be made out for many of the 11 runners.

Selection: EDERAN

Next best: High Jinx