Our man in France Jason Kiely previews Sunday's Group One card at Deauville featuring British raiders in the Prix Morny.
Having witnessed some exceptional juvenile performances at York this week, heads turn to the Deauville, where the Group One Darley Prix Morny (14.50) takes centre stage on a fantastic afternoons racing. As is often the case at the Deauville summer festival, there are plenty of UK raiders heading across the channel in search of Group One glory and along with the Morny, we also have a clash of some top-class mares in the Group One Darley Prix Jean Romanet (15.25). Our man in France Jason Kiely dissects the two races and also points out some horses to follow across the €1,000,000 card.
ASYMMETRIC SHAPES UP NICELY IN MORNY
Only five of the last 25 winners of the Group One Darley Prix Morny (14.50) have been French-trained, therefore it is no surprise to see that the home side are heavily ambushed for the Group One showpiece this Sunday.
Seven English and Irish-trained runners grace the 14 strong line-up for 1,200m contest and after cross examination of week’s action at York, it may pay to side with the Alan King-trained Asymmetric, who has some rock-solid form in the book.
Commonly regarded as a more of a jumps trainer, Barbury Castle-based King has been making a serious impact in the world of Flat racing this season, notably Goodwood Cup winner Trueshan and may land his second Group One on the level with talented two-year-old Asymmetric.
A son of Showcasing, Asymmetric has been highly-impressive in his four runs this season and showed definite Group One potential when taking the Group Two Richmond Stakes at Goodwood last month. His sole defeat came when finishing a head second to Friday’s Gimcrack winner Lusail in the July Stakes at Newmarket, where he was a shade unlucky in his run.
The 1,200m distance and forecast good ground conditions will suit Asymmetric, who is drawn in stall five and should have no in-running issues. Flexible in terms of tactics, the colt looks the safest option in this tightly knit field and deserves ultimate respect for his attempt at a maiden Group One. If successful, Asymmetric will offer King a first career success in France and jockey Martin Harley a first winner across the channel since taking the 2015 Group One Prix De l’Abbaye aboard Goldream.
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
Richard Fahey-trained Perfect Power took the scalp of the talented Go Bears Go with a narrow success in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, before blotting his copybook when finishing fifth behind Asymmetric at Goodwood. Albeit unlucky in-running that day, the son of Ribchester hung left in the closing stages, looking held and may be suited by a return to the minimum distance. Christophe Soumillon takes over on the colt here and even a reproduction of that Ascot performance may not be good enough to beat the best here.
Highly impressive when landing the Molecomb at Goodwood, Armor faces quicker ground and 1,200m for the first time this weekend. The Richard Hannon-trained colt is was scintillating in that success and although amongst the higher-rated, he will need to be on his A-game here as this looks a much tougher contest.
French hopes realistically lie between the Florian Guyader-trained Have A Good Day and the Andre Fabre-trained Trident. The pair both contested the Group Three Prix de Cabourg earlier this month, and although Have A Good Day offered first season trainer Guyader with a maiden Group success in race, it was Trident who caught the eye. The Fabre trained son of Wotton Bassett hit the front a long way from home and showed his in-experience in the closing stages. Although he only finished third that day, it was only Trident’s second run and he is entitled to learn from that and looks the main French contender.
IRISH FILLIES NOT DISCOUNTED
Fillies have a strong recent record in the Morny (three from last five) and both Royal Ascot winner Quick Suzy or unbeaten filly Velocidad have the potential to boost those figures.
Electric when taking the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, Gavin Cromwell’s Quick Suzy is back in action here for the fist time since that success. The daughter of Profitable showed electric speed at Ascot and may be better over shorter, although she did hit the line well that day and being drawn in stall one, she will have the rail to help and can give a bold show. This will be her first time taking on the colts at Group level and according to connections, her ultimate aim is the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint later this year.
It has been 20 years since an ‘O’Brien’ trained runner has carried the famous Magnier/Tabor colours to success in the Morny (Johannesburg 2001) and with Aiden not represented in the race this year, it could be the Joseph O’Brien-trained Velocidad that stops the 20-year wait.
A daughter of the mighty Gleneagles, Velocidad is unbeaten in two starts to date and looked potentially smart when winning a small field Group Two at The Curragh last month, although on a strict line of from through second placed Yet, she has a bit to find with Quick Suzy. One of the least experienced in the field, Velocidad showed plenty of gears at The Curragh and is entitled to come on for that, which would put her right in the mix here.
AUDARYA FACES TOUGH TASK TO RETAIN CROWN
The second Group One race on the card, the Prix Jean Romanet (15.25) looks much easier to decipher and should ultimately be played out by last year’s winner Audarya, Goodwood Group One winner Lady Bowthorpe and the French mare Ebaiyra.
Again, a race which has been dominated by overseas raiders in recent years, the 2,000m distance of the Jean Romanet looks certain to throw up another good clash this Sunday.
Lady Bowthorpe claimed a much deserved Group One success when landing the Nassau at Goodwood last month and could add a second top-flight victory here. The William Jarvis-trained five-year-old relished her first attempt at the 2,000m trip and if coming here in similar form, will be hard to beat. The daughter of Nathaniel finished ahead of Audarya at Goodwood and with no obvious excuse for Audarya’s below-par run, it is difficult to see her turning the tables here – even if she did win this race last year.
Alain de Royer-Dupre’s most recent success in this races came with Alpine Rose in 2009, but the master Chantilly trainer’s Ebaiyra could be the biggest danger to Lady Bowthorpe in this year’s race.
The four-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor showed plenty of class last season and possess a huge turn of foot over these middle distances. Her only defeat this campaign came a length behind Broome in the Group One Grand Prix de Saint Cloud last month and although she would possibly prefer softer conditions, Ebariyra has looked every inch a Group One filly and could prove that now she is back against her own sex.
HORSES TO FOLLOW ACROSS THE CARD
Valia can prove she is staying star
Away from the two Group One’s there is plenty of competitive racing to look forward to and a potential star could be lurking in the Group Two Darley Prix de Pomone (16.00).
Also from the yard of Alain de Royer-Dupre, Valia essentially looks like the ‘good thing’ on Sunday’s card.
Connections took this race last year with the afore-mentioned Ebariya, and Valia should be able to use this race as a stepping stone to a well-deserved Group One success later this season. The daughter of Sea The Stars chased home Subjectivist at Group One level last season and has firmly established her place amongst the top stayers in France. Much like Ebariya (and plenty of HH The Aga Khan bred mares) Valia looks much more the finished article as a four-year-old and she should take all the beating here.
Sir Michael Stoute sends across Pontefract Listed winner Katara for the race, while George Boughey sends Group Three placed Mystery Angel. Although in receipt of weight from Valia, the British-trained pair look much inferior animals but may be able to land minor spoils in this race.
Skazino can claim weak renewal of Kergolay
Charley Rossi will be keeping a close eye on Valia’s performance, just over a half an hour before what looks like a very weak renewal of the Group Two Prix Kergolay (16.35). Rossi’s Skazino got to within a head of Valia last month and if she were to win, she would offer a very strong boost to Skazino’s chances here.
Already a winner over further, the son of Kendargent is clear on figures and even though he has to give away weight to his five rivals, he should have no problem with the 3,000m and can add a second Group Two success to an already impressive CV.
Ed Dunlop’s stable star Red Verdon got back to winning ways recently and seems to enjoy the French racing tempo – he looks the biggest threat to Skazino.
Graffard two-year-old’s firing
After a slow first-half of the campaign, Chantilly trainer Francis-Henri Graffard has his string in fine order – particularly his two-year-old’s.
With one in each division of the unraced maidens (colts and fillies) it may pay to follow Graffard, who saddles a son of stallion Into Mischeif called For All Mankind (12.58), who is out of a Group One winning mare in the colts race and Know Thyself (13.33) in the fillies, a daughter of Galileo and out of Group One placed Fix, who finished in the New Zealand Derby.