Chantilly Sunday: Flag to fly in Royal-Oak | Man On The Spot previews

Prix Royal-Oak, Group One, Chantilly 2.45, Sunday

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Brundtland bids to extend his unbeaten record to five when he seeks Group One honours in the Prix Royal-Oak at Chantilly on Sunday.

The Godolphin-owned son of Dubawi already has two Group Two wins to his name in the Prix Niel and the Prix Chaudenay, both at Longchamp.

The Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old showed on the latter occasion he was not inconvenienced by a test of stamina as it was over this distance of one mile and seven furlongs.

"Brundtland has done nothing but progress with each race and showed that he is not short of stamina in the Prix Chaudenay," Appleby told www.godolphin.com.

"He came out of that race very well and we felt that this was a great opportunity to try to win a Group One with him.

"He gets a three-year-old weight allowance and should be very competitive."

Godolphin are also represented by Morgan Le Faye, one of two runners trained by Andre Fabre along with Palombe.

Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said "Morgan Le Faye has produced good staying performances in the Prix Gladiateur and the Prix du Cadran, when she got a little tired at the end.

"This looks like a tough race on the ratings, but she has very serious place claims and any cut in the ground will help."

Aidan O'Brien gives Irish St Leger winner Flag Of Honour a quick turnaround after finishing fourth to Stradivarius in the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot last weekend.

"Obviously he only ran in Ascot, but seems to have come out it well and seems to be in good form," said O'Brien.

There is a second Irish challenger in Willie Mullins' Max Dynamite, who was sixth to Call The Wind in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on his latest start.

Andrew Balding has his fingers crossed Horseplay will retain her form despite the fact she has been on the go since the spring.

The four-year-old filly has taken on the best of her sex and was rewarded with victory in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock in July.

Burdened with a Group Two penalty for that success, she went down by only a neck to God Given in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster last month.

"She ran very well at Doncaster. The trip should not hold any concerns," said Balding.

"She seems to be in good form, but it is getting to the end of the year and you never know where you are with these fillies so I'm slightly nervous.

"She seems in good form and I'd hope she'd run well."

Man On The Spot Verdict

FLAG OF HONOUR had a hard race in the Champion Long Distance Stakes last weekend when the going proved too soft and the opposition too experienced. He remains a very progressive stayer and wouldn't be running here unless fully recovered so gets the vote. Fellow youngster Brundtland is unbeaten in four starts and deserves a crack at the highest level after his two Group 2 victories at Longchamp though he's up against much stiffer opposition. Palombe was surprisingly beaten by Princess Yaiza in the Group 2 Prix de Royallieu and her stable may have a better chance with Morgan Le Faye, a very good third in the Prix Du Cadran though behind runner-up Holdthasigreen, who was beaten a short-head by Call The Bar in a Longchamp Group 3 earlier. Horseplay couldn't quite hold off God Given in the May Hill and this is tougher, as it is for winning handicapper Libello. Willie Mullins has been sweeping up in staying races on the Flat but Max Dynamite doesn't quite look good enough.

Criterium International, Group One, Chantilly 3.20, Sunday

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O'Brien is two-handed with Hermosa and San Andreas in the other Group One race on the card, the Criterium International.

"San Andreas won nicely at Naas. He was green enough and we think he'll come forward more again," said the Ballydoyle trainer.

"Hermosa won at Naas nicely and then was second in the Fillies' Mile.

"She ran a good race in Newmarket and she seems to be well since."

Godolphin rely on the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Royal Meeting, who made a winning debut at Yarmouth last month.

"Royal Meeting is a nice colt, who has done very well since winning on debut at Yarmouth and seven furlongs is the right trip for him at the moment," said bin Suroor.

"He could be anything in the future and heads to France in good form."

The Balding stable is represented by Bye Bye Hong Kong, runner-up to Arctic Sound in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.

"Obviously he ran a good race last time at Newmarket. I'd hope he'd run well," said Balding.

John Gosden's Mill Reef Stakes winner Kessaar is the other British raider in a seven-horse line-up.

Man On The Spot Verdict

Aidan O’Brien is no stranger to winning this and HERMOSA makes plenty of appeal. She won a Group 3 over today’s trip at Naas before finding only one too good in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket and looks the one to beat. Kessaar continues to improve having landed the Mill Reef at Newbury last month and steps up to 7f for the first time today while Bye Bye Hong Kong was beaten only a length in a Group 3 at Newmarket and should also go well. Saeed bin Suroor won last year’s renewal and runs maiden winner Royal Meeting but San Andreas looks his stable’s second string behind the selection. Ecolo disappointed last time but went close in a Group 3 at Longchamp earlier and is preferred to compatriot Graignes.

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