Richard Mann's French horses to note ahead of Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp
Ahead of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Richard Mann picks out five French-trained horses who could be worth following over the course of the two-day meeting at ParisLongchamp.
Polydream - Qatar Prix De La Foret
With news that Expert Eye will now be pointed at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Polydream looks the 'banker' of the weekend and she should prove extremely hard to beat in a race that isn't usually the strongest of Group One contests.
Freddy Head's daughter of Oasis Dream has looked to be something very special ever since making a winning debut at Deauville last summer before then returning to that venue the following month to slam Laurens with a sparkling display.
She would meet defeat at the hands of Wild Illusion when strongly fancied for the Marcel Boussac on this card later in the year but there was no disgrace in that effort and Head insists his filly wasn't right that day.
The French 1000 Guineas was another day to forget for Polydream but with connections realising that a mile might be stretching this speed-laden filly, she was right back to her best when landing Group Three honours over this course and distance in June.
A further step back in trip saw her then take on a star-studded field of sprinters in the 6 1/2f Prix Maurice de Gheest where she produced a performance of the highest order to land the biggest prize of her career.
The three-year-old had the likes of The Tin Man, Brando, Librisa Breeze and City Light behind when running down James Garfield that day and with the return to 7f looking absolutely ideal, she looks to have all angles covered against a field lacking anything like the star quality she is used to facing.
She's only 7/4 with Sky Bet now but we are dealing with a brilliant filly here and there is still mileage in that price.
Rocques - Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac
The Marcel Boussac has been dominated by Britain and Ireland in more recent years with Charlie Appleby winning the last two renewals and Aidan O'Brien successful in 2014 and 2015.
Polydream had to settle for second last year while Zarkava, so brilliant when winning under Christophe Soumillon in 2007, was the last French filly to win this race before going on to truly dominate as a three-year-old.
Once again, O'Brien and Appleby look set to form a strong raiding party but the latter will know that he needs a very good filly to topple French hope Rocques, trained by Fabrice Chappet.
Appleby would have been confident of lowering the colours of Rocques when bringing highly-regarded Ascot winner Ceratonia to Longchamp for the Group Three Prix d'Aumale last month.
However, Rocques proved a cut above her rivals, travelling smoothly in behind Ceratonia before quickening into the lead with a furlong to run. Despite idling a little once in front, she was well on top at the line and looks ready to take the step up to Group One level.
Prior to winning at Longchamp, she made a successful introduction a Chantilly before landing a soft-ground conditions race in effortless fashion at Clairefontaine.
Now unbeaten in three starts, she is versatile with regards to the ground, is proven at Longchamp, and could be good enough to ensure the Marcel Boussac is back in French hands come Sunday afternoon.
With You - Prix de l'Opéra Longines
Another race that has been kind to the English and Irish in recent years with the home guard failing to win since We Are was successful back in 2014.
Trainer Freddy Head and owner George Strawbridge were the successful connections on that occasion and in With You - a full-sister to We Are - they bid to repeat the dose.
Like her sister, With You is a top-class filly who went through her two-year-old career unbeaten before returning this season to push Laurens all the way in the Prix Saint-Alary.
With You then landed her first victory at Group One level when slamming Crown Walk in the Prix Rothschild a couple of months later and ran another huge when finishing third behind Alpha Centauri and Recoletos in the Jacques le Marois.
She will have no Alpha Centauri or Recoletos to worry about on Sunday, nor Newmarket bound Laurens for that matter, and will ensure the home guard is better represented in this race than in more recent years.
Wild Illusion was a winner on this card 12 months ago and heads the home challenge following her win in the Nassau Stakes while Aidan O'Brien could run Royal Ascot heroine Magic Wand.
Both will need to be very good to take the prize away from France this time.
Study Of Man - Qatar Prix de lArc de Triomphe
Three-year-olds have a terrific record in this race - winning seven out of the last 10 renewals - with the weight-for-age allowance proving very favourable for the Classic generation.
Connections of Sea Of Class and Kew Gardens will hope to take advantage of that allowance this year with market leader Enable, now a four-year-old, facing a tougher task than she did when successful 12 months ago.
Sea Of Class is the shortest of the three-year-olds, with Sky Bet quoting her at 7/2 at the time of writing, but further down the list, Study Of Man jumps off the page.
The son of Deep Impact only raced once as a juvenile, winning smartly at Saint-Cloud, and he added a Group Two success to his CV before landing the Prix du Jockey Club in June.
He was good value for his victory that day and though beaten twice since, I get the impression that all roads have led to the Arc ever since that sweeping victory at Chantilly.
His most recent outing - when fifth of seven in the Irish Champion Stakes - wasn't a bad run at all and what was most striking from that race was how well he travelled in the slipstream of the brilliant Roaring Lion before his run flattened out in the home straight.
He will be cherry ripe on Sunday and with odds of 33/1 about him floating around, he could be serious value as France bid to win their most coveted prize for the first time since 2014.
British and Irish runners out of luck as Study Of Man digs deep to strike for sire #DeepImpact in Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. 👇👇https://t.co/mRIi3VXKBj pic.twitter.com/cVx33bdlA0
— Racing UK (@racing_uk) June 4, 2018
Anodor - Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
Should he line up, all eyes will be on Persian King following his imperious victory at Chantilly last month following his similarly impressive victory over the same course and distance two weeks earlier.
Another exciting progeny of the brilliant Kingman, trainer Andre Fabre is already pointing his charge at next year's English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and he could go off a warm order should he line up at Longchamp on Sunday.
However, it must not be forgotten that he was comfortably beaten by Anodor when both made their debuts at Deauville back in August with the latter producing a dominant display.
Anodor duly stepped up on that level of form when routing a decent Group Three field at Longchamp subsequently and whether he reopposes with Persian King on Sunday or not, this unbeaten colt looks to have a huge future.
Should he be confirmed for the Lagardere by master handler Freddy Head, I want to have him on side for a trainer who looks set to lead the home charge on a brilliant weekend in Paris.
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