Jason Kiely on the horses, trainers and jockeys to follow at the Deauville Festival and he previews the Prix Rothschild too.
When talking about racing in France in August only one thing comes to mind – DEAUVILLE.
Famous for its month long ‘August Racing Festival’, which includes five hotly-contested Group One races, the Normandy racecourse always attracts plenty of international support. The opening meeting is on Tuesday and spectators can expect plenty of household names from both sides of the Channel as the very best horses in Europe do battle on the northern coast over the coming weeks.
Our man in France Jason Kiely explains what to expect throughout the festival and highlights some of the likelier contenders from Britain and Ireland. He also provides domestic trainers and jockeys to keep on-side and, of course, dissects the feature races, starting with Tuesday’s Group One Prix Rothschild (14.00), which is worth €300,000
PRINCIPAL DATES AND PRIME CANDIDATES THIS AUGUST
Tuesday 3rd - The meeting kicks off with the girls doing battle in the Group One Prix Rothschild. Run over the straight mile, there really is no hiding place and, with 14 runners declared for this year's edition, the pace is sure to be a frenetic one.
John Gosden, Aidan O’Brien and Karl Burke are among the winning trainers in recent years and it is no surprise that five of the field in this year’s race are either trained in Britain or Ireland – including Newmarket 1,000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth.
The nine-race card kicks off just after midday and with five Group and Listed events, there really is something for everyone.
Sunday 8th – A battle of the sprinters for the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest, run over the unique distance of 1,300m (6 ½ furlongs). Won in 2020 by Charlie Appleby’s speedy chestnut Space Blues, the Maurice de Gheest generally attracts some of the world's best sprinters and this year is no different.
Among the early entries are Ed Walker’s superstar sprinter Starman, Rohaan for David Evans, last month's Group One Prix Jean Prat winner Law Of Indices and Wesley Ward’s globetrotting filly Campanelle.
Sunday 15th – The flagship race of the festival, the Group One Haras De Fresnay-le-Buffard Jaques le Marois, worth an incredible €1,000,000. This is a real clash of Europe’s best milers and offers the three-year-olds a chance to serve it up to the older generation. This race has a star-studded roll of honour, which includes Palace Pier, Alpha Centauri and also mighty Kingman in recent years.
Over the past ten years, a British and Irish domination of the ‘Jaques le Marois’ means that, this year, entries from overseas outweigh the home battalion. With horses such as the hugely-exciting Baaeed, Jim Bolger's pair Mac Swiney and Poetic Flare, plus the current title-holder Palace Pier all featuring, we could be in for a real treat.
Sunday 22nd – Owing to its place in the calendar, the Group One Darley Prix Morny offers a fantastic opportunity to finally establish the pecking order among the world’s best two-year-olds. One only has to take a look at the previous winners to realise how hot a contest the ‘Morny’ usually is.
American trainer Wesley Ward has a strong affinity with this race and has trained the winner on three occasions – No Nay Never (2013), Lady Aurelia (2016) and Campanelle (2020). Shalaa, Reckless Abandon and Dream Ahead also feature among recent winners, while Frankie Dettori has taken five of the last ten runnings of the Morny. Entries close on the 4th of August.
The Group One Prix Jean Romanet also takes place on the 22nd and looks likely to be the next stop for recent Nassau Stakes champion Lady Bowthorpe, and could even feature Wonderful Tonight as she continues her Arc preparation.
FRENCH TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS TO FOLLOW
It is no surprise to note that champion trainer Andre Fabre has a fantastic strike-rate in the Group races at Deauville and should always be respected but who else should we be keeping an eye on?
Deauville-based Jean-Claude Rouget always has his team in tremendous order for his ‘home’ meeting and could get off to a flyer with Coeursamba, the French 1000 Guineas winner and one of the favourites for Tuesday’s Group One Prix Rothschild.
In the ‘up and coming’ category, Jerome Reynier is without hesitation the one to note. The southern-based trainer claimed his first Group One success this season and currently sits fifth in the trainers' championship. Marineafoot holds some entries in the bigger races and could be Reynier’s key player this month.
Local trainer Stephane Wattel should always be respected in the maidens, and in the handicaps one should never underestimate a runner from the super-shrewd Edouart Monfort stable.
On the jockey front Theo Bachelot has been staking his claim for a first title and can be counted on for a daily winner at least, while veteran of the weighing room, Christophe Soumillion, changed agent on the 1st of August and has announced himself as ‘refreshed and hungry for winners’.
With her 1.5kg claim, Marie Velon should frequently be in the winners' enclosure. And, finally, young jockey Augustin Madamet, who is attached to the Andre Fabre stable, could have a successful meeting in the absence of the suspended Pierre-Charles Boudot.
MOTHER EARTH FOR UNSTOPPABLE O’BRIEN
He has taken four of the ten Group One races contested in France so far this season (including a famous Guineas/Derby double with St Mark’s Basilica) and trainer Aidan O’Brien could add to his haul with Mother Earth in the Group One Prix Rothschild on Tuesday.
The Newmarket 1,000 Guineas winner has been in tremendous form all season and lost little in defeat on her two most recent outings. With the ground officially described as good - classic winner Mother Earth could potentially reverse form with Coeursamba, a shock winner of the Group One Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp back in May.
Looking like the winner for most of the home straight, Mother Earth couldn’t quite make it home in the bottomless conditions at ParisLongchamp but, based on all-known form, is much the superior filly. Back on a firmer surface here, she should have the measure of Coeursamba – the main domestic hope.
Without a winner in France since Circus Maximus took the Prix Moulin de Longchamp in September 2019, Ryan Moore takes the ride on the Ballydoyle filly and could add a second Prix Rothschild to his CV, having scored with Roly Poly for the same connections in 2017.
The surprise package of the race could be the Pascal Bary-trained filly Tahlie. The daughter of Rio de la Plata is now undefeated in her last four starts and was extremely professional on her most recent outing, taking the Group Two Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly.
This will be her first start in a Group One and in the colours of her new owner Teruya Yoshida. Japanese-based Yoshida is the winning-most owner of the Prix Rothschild, having won the race on five separate occasions, and bought Tahlie recently.
It is also worth noting Speak Of The Devil. She recently moved to the Frederic Rossi yard following some tame efforts for Fabrice Chappet, and she made the perfect start for her new connections when winning a Listed race over course and distance three weeks ago. Placed second in the 2020 running of the French 1,000 Guineas and with a fantastic record at Deauville, Speak Of The Devil commands respect and it would be no surprise to see her involved.
OTHERS TO NOTE ACROSS THE CARD
Trident looks tough to oppose in the opener, the Group Three Prix Du Cabourg (12.08). From the Fabre yard, the two-year-old son of Wootton Bassett was very professional on debut and firmly put his rivals in their place when taking a hot maiden at ParisLongchamp. Owned by Derrick Smith, Trident looks one to follow and could potentially be aimed at the Morny at the end of the month.
Zellie also comes from the Fabre yard and looks like the banker of the day in the Group Three Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing (13.25). Another offspring of Wootton Bassett, the unbeaten Zellie has been excellently campaigned this season and will look to make it four wins in a row. The two-year-old filly is already being touted as a classic contender for next season and should play a major role in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend.
The Group Three Prix de Psyche looks one of the most competitive races of the day but Jean-Claude Rouget’s Penja could prove a cut above her rivals if fulfilling the promise she showed in her early starts. The daughter of Camelot has always been held in high regard by connections and got back to winning ways over course and distance recently, having bombed out at Group One level on her penultimate start.
It is interesting to note that of the nine British and Irish trainers represented on the card, rookie trainer George Boughey sends out three runners. While his first two can only hope for minor honours behind Zellie, Boughey’s third runner Mystery Angel could pick up the pieces should Penja misfire. The daughter of Kodi Bear has been running consistently well all season and has been well placed here.
