2.50pm Prix Ganay (Group 1) (3yo+) 1m 2f 110yards

SUNDAY'S Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp has looked like being a race for the ages for some time now and it still promises to be a cracker, despite the late defection of Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg.

The nine remaining contenders include many of the continent’s most exciting horses with five different individual Group 1 winners among them plus a pair who have already succeeded at Group 2 level.

As far as the locals are concerned, the headline horse is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Vadeni, who, surprisingly to some, will again be ridden by Christophe Soumillon.

Despite Onesto’s defection, there is another high class domestically-trained four-year-old colt in the field in the shape of the Grand Prix de Paris second Simca Mille, who holds a significant advantage as the only one of the major players to have already had an outing this term when landing the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt.

Also turning out will be the d’Harcourt runner-up and Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Iresine, though he surely needs a longer trip to be seen at his best, while trainer Andre Fabre, who has won this race a record seven times, will be doubly represented by Place du Carrousel, having her first outing since pulling off a 40/1 shock in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera in October, and Junko, who lacks big race triumphs on his CV but will at least be fit having finished a solid sixth in last month’s Group 1 Dubai Turf.

Superlative fashion

Rookie trainer Christopher Head has started the season in superlative fashion but surely will not be adding to his recent glories with his Zarak colt Sabio Cen, who has run just three times in his life and never in Stakes company.

The field is completed by a pair of strong British challengers in Bay Bridge and Real World. Bay Bridge spoiled the Baaeed retirement party with a brilliant win in the Group 1 Champion Stakes last autumn while, unusually for a Godolphin horse, Real World does not have a great record in Dubai, so his two lacklustre recent Meydan efforts may be best forgiven and he is better judged on a pair of fine Group 1 second placers behind the aforementioned Baaeed last spring.

Hopefully, the weather forecast will prove correct and the ground will dry out a little in the 48 hours before the race.

With Vadeni likely to need the run, perhaps with Sir Michael Stoute having begun the campaign strongly, my prediction is that Bay Bridge can make a winning reappearance for the third season in a row.

SELECTION: BAY BRIDGE

Next Best: Simca Mille

Elsewhere on the card, last year’s Prix de Diane runner-up La Parisienne makes her comeback in the Group 3 Prix Allez France Longines over a mile and two furlongs while the supplementary entry Sober is an improving young stayer and may prove to be the answer to the Group 3 Prix de Barbeville over a mile and seven furlongs 110 yards.

Rest of the weekend

On Monday at Saint-Cloud the big races are the Group 2 Prix du Muguet in which the Aga Khan’s Erevann begins a season that may see him rise to the very top of the milers’ ranks and five-runner Group 3 Prix Greffuhle where Ballydoyle’s Greenland will look to build on a recent encouraging Longchamp third when stepping up to a mile, two furlongs and 110yards.

Over the jumps, Willie Mullins has sneaked one under the radar when everyone expects his focus to be on nothing but Punchestown by declaring Franco De Port for Saturday’s seven- runner Prix Ingre at Auteuil, a two mile and six Grade 3 chase with a prize pot of €157,000.