The best action all weekend is over in France on Sunday where Deauville host a terrific renewal of the Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois over a mile.
Conditions are drying out in northwestern France after some dry days in the build-up and that has persuaded connections of Inspiral to travel over as she bids to retain her title.
John & Thady Gosden’s daughter of Frankel prevailed by a neck in this race 12 months ago but this time she comes into it on the back of an energy-sapping defeat in soft ground at Goodwood and she looks a risky proposition just 11 days on.
Triple Time bombed out on his last trip to France, stablemate Hi Royal has plenty to prove after being well beaten in the Prix Jean Prat and Light Infantry continues to fall short at the top level, so it could be a tough afternoon for the British raiders.
This could well be another French Group 1 that stays at home, a theme of the season, and eyes are immediately drawn to Big Rock who tore apart the Prix du Jockey Club with a powerful front-running display, only to be overhauled by the smart Ace Impact in the final furlong.
He’s well worth another go back at a mile, but all of his runs for Christopher Head have been over further and given he’s been so well found in the market I don’t want to back him now at around 5/2 as he could be vulnerable to a specialist at the trip.
Still, it’s the French three-year-olds that make most appeal. Three-year-olds have a great record in this race getting the 7lb weight-for-age (won six of the last nine, three seconds in the other three) and I have this between Good Guess and MARHABA YA SANAFI.
A Good Guess is indeed required to establish just what the son of Kodiac achieved in the Prix Jean Prat, as on the face of it it was a much-improved display, but none of the first three in the betting ran anywhere near their best form.
He might well back that up with another good run, but even if he does he looks a seven-furlong horse to me whereas Marhaba Ya Sanafi is a Classic winner over a mile and this looks his ideal trip.
A shock winner of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp in May, that form has worked out well with winners like Breizh Sky and Good Guess coming out of the race, while runner-up Isaac Shelby has done his bit for the form in defeat.
Marhaba Ya Sanafi sat on the shoulder of the leaders and wore down Isacc Shelby late on that day with a strong finishing effort, then proved it was no fluke with an excellent third in the Prix du Jockey Club (the form looks very good, with the fourth and fifth Feed The Flame and Epictetus both winning since) after that.
He didn’t race efficiently that day after being too keen early, while he had to force a difficult path through the field, too, but he motored home for third once in the clear and he should settle better back at a mile with Ryan Moore taking over in the saddle.
Chantilly was good evidence he can handle better ground no problem, as it was very soft when he won the French Guineas, and general prices around the 12/1 mark look to underestimate his chance.
The Verdict: Back MARHABA YA SANAFI in the 3.26 Deauville
Preview posted at 1640 BST on 12/08/23
