Deauville Sunday
1.33 Darley Prix Morny – Finale des Darley Series (Group 1) (2yo Colts & Fillies) 6f
Deauville stages the last two of its six annual Group 1s on Sunday and France’s trainers have adopted a defeatist approach to combatting the home team’s dismal record in the only juvenile contest among that sextet – the six-furlong Darley Prix Morny.
Having won this race just four times in the last 28 years and – perhaps even more disappointingly – supplied less than a quarter of the 30 horses to fill its top three positions over the last decade, the locals have come up with a new twist on the old saying: “If you can’t beat them” - don’t even bother trying!
Raiders
So, all five competitors in this year’s renewal of the famous 157-year-old contest hail from foreign shores, led by the redoubtable Aidan O’Brien pairing of Blackbeard and The Antarctic.
These two have already routed the French once this season, completing a one-two in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin, when Blackbeard came home three lengths clear and his stable companion was in turn the same distance ahead of the remainder.
They could repeat that feat here and The Antarctic, who has since landed the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg over this course and distance, is maturing steadily and may get closer this time.
If another one-two is to be achieved, the Ballydoyle representatives will need to overturn Royal Ascot form with two British-trained colts, as Blackbeard finished fourth, two and quarter lengths behind the runner-up, Persian Force, in the Coventry Stakes.
The Antarctic hung persistently to his left while trailing home almost five lengths adrift of the winner, The Ridler, in the Norfolk Stakes.
Persian Force has won a Group 2 since then, but he was left fully seven lengths in the wake of another O’Brien inmate, Little Big Bear, in Group 1 company at the Curragh last time out and, on the going since landing the Brocklesby Stakes on the first day of the British turf season way back in March, he may have stopped progressing.
The Ridler has not raced since the royal meeting and the form of his victory there looks dubious as, apart from The Antarctic, not a single other winner has come out of the race.
The field is completed by Amy Murphy’s filly, Manhattan Jungle, who has already won €73,000 in French prize money but was a length behind The Antarctic in the Cabourg.
SELECTION: BLACKBEARD
Next best: The Antarctic
2.50 Darley Prix Jean Romanet (Group 1) (4yo+ Fillies & mares) 1m 2f
The Melbourne Cup winner, Verry Elleegant, will be the centre of attention in the Darley Prix Jean Romanet as this remarkable mare, an 11-time top-level scorer in Australia where her career bankroll is approaching the €10 million mark, makes her European debut en route to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Now trained by Francis Graffard, the seven-year-old obviously stays much further and has not raced since early April. Consequently, with the possibility of a falsely run race also a worry, she might be worth opposing with Richard Hannon’s recent Nassau Stakes runner-up, Aristia.
Twomey runner
The solitary Irish runner in the line-up is Paddy Twomey’s dual Group 3 winner, Rosscarbery, who has made astonishing strides since landing a maiden at Dundalk less than five months ago.
SELECTION: ARISTIA
Next best: Verry Elleegant
It could be Any Time Soon for Fabre
DEAUVILLE also hosts four €130,000 Group 2 contests over the course of the weekend. On Sunday, five evenly matched four-year-old fillies go to post for Darley Prix de Pomone over 1m 4f 100yds.
A 2lb penalty plus a drop in trip might just be enough to stop William Haggas’s Sea La Rosa from following up her recent Goodwood win at this level.
Trained by André Fabre, the steadily improving Any Time Soon may be the one to deny her.
Also on Sunday, a Darley Prix Kergorlay (1m 7f) devoid of overseas runners may again go to its reigning champion, Skazino, who should relish this return to a proper staying trip. The André Fabre-trained, Coolmore Stud-owned Joie De Soir may chase him home, just as she did in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in May.
SATURDAY PREVIEW
On Saturday, father and son O’Brien take each other on in the Prix du Calvados, a seven-furlong contest for two-year-old fillies. Aidan’s Never Ending Story, already successful in Group 3 company, may finish in front of Joseph’s narrow Curragh maiden winner, Vernet. She in turn may have to give best to the Richard Hughes-trained Sparkling Beauty, so impressive when breaking her duck at Glorious Goodwood.
The final Group 2 is the Prix de la Nonette, this time for three-year-old fillies over 1m 2f. The Ribblesdale Stakes third, History, represents O’Brien senior here, while Jessica Harrington runs her recent course and distance Group 3 scorer, Trevaunance.
Preference is for Rosacea, beaten little more than a length in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and then most unlucky not to finish closer than third in the Prix de Diane, when both a wide draw and poor luck-in-running made her life very difficult.
Juveniles
Aidan O’Brien also sends over his Gowran Park maiden winner, Victoria Road, to take part in the Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l’Elevage, a 10-runner one mile juvenile listed race with a remarkable total value of €130,000.
The last word on the weekend’s Deauville action must go to the incredible George Boughey-trained Oscula, who comes under orders for the ninth time in a 78-day period wen she bids to follow up Monday’s Group 3 success at the track with another pattern victory in Saturday’s Prix Daphnis (1m).