Jean-Claude Rouget

View from France: Prix du Jockey Club preview and tips

By Jason Kiely

Horse Racing

Sun June 06, 2021 · 5y ago

Jason Kiely looks ahead to a super day's racing in Chantilly with the Prix du Jockey Club taking centre stage.

A fascinating spectacle in store this afternoon at the Hippodrome de Chantilly as 19 runners line-up in the €1.5 million Group One Prix du Jockey Club.

Disputed over 2,100m, the Jockey Club (or French Derby) has fallen foul to some extreme weather conditions this week and the official going is described as very soft.

A mouthwatering ten-race card ensures that all tastes are catered for and our man in France highlights some of the key players throughout the afternoon.

DRAW DILEMMA FOR TRIPLE HANDED ROUGET

With four victories in the last 11 running’s of the Jockey Club, Deauville based trainer Jean Claude Rouget can be considered the king of the Jockey Club. The Rouget-trained trio of MAKALOUN, SAIYDABAD and CHESHIRE ACADEMY will all take their chances in this afternoon's showpiece, but they have not been helped by their respective places in the stalls.

Of the trio, Cheshire Academy came out worst in terms of positioning and will depart widest of all from stall 19, with stable mate Makaloun upsides in 18. The unbeaten Saiydabad was somewhat luckier and will be positioned in stall 11, however Saiydabad’s regular partner Christophe Soumillon has chosen to take the ride on fellow Aga Khan owned/bred Makaloun.

Assuming they all have clear passages through the race, it is hard to split the Rouget trio, but based on figures, slight preference would have to be for the Group One placed Makaloun, who should have no issues with the testing conditions. The unexposed Cheshire Academy looks one of the most interesting of the field and showed great appreciation for the softer underfoot conditions when getting the better of a high-class field on his most recent start at ParisLongchamp.

The son of Flintshire will be ridden by Rouget’s stable jockey Cristian Demuro, and carries the same colours as Sottsass, winner of this race in 2019 (coincidentally from a wide draw in stall 14).

WATCH Oisin Murphy's brilliant commentary of the Cazoo Derby as it happened (in association with World Horse Racing)

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O’BRIEN SEEKS FIRST JOCKEY CLUB WITH ST. MARK’S

The imposing colt St. Mark’s Basilica has dominated the betting for the Jockey Club since his emphatic win in the French 2000 Guineas three weeks ago and bids to offer trainer Aiden O’Brien a first success in this French classic.

The son of Siyoni crossed the line with almost two lengths to spare under replacement jockey Ioritz Mendizabal (who gets the call up again this afternoon) and suggested that today’s longer trip is certainly within the colt’s capabilities.

Drawn in stall two, it is likely that St. Mark’s Basilica will be ridden prominently and should be able to avoid the inevitable ‘bottle neck’ situation on the turn out of the back straight. On ratings, he comes out some way clear of his 18 rivals and is the clear pick of the two O’Brien trained runners, although Van Gogh, who is stepped up in trip and is already a French Group One winner, could be dangerous,.

Victory for St. Mark’s Basilica would offer back to back wins in this race for jockey Mendizabal, who was on board the John Gosden-trained Mishriff in this race last year.

John and Thady Gosden are doubly represented this year and saddle Megallen and the lightly-raced but highly-touted Derab. There has been a steady flow of support for the latter-named throughout the week, although with his inexperience, Derab will need to break sharply from stall fourteen if he is to avoid trouble in running.

HOME OUTSIDERS OF INTEREST

Rejuvenated trainer Pascal Bary is having a season to savour and is represented in this afternoon’s feature by Baby Rider, a son of Gleneagles. Successful in this race in 2018 with Study Of Man, Bary is a master when it comes to preparing these types of animals and if he handles the ground, Baby Rider could play and important role at the finish in the hands of in-form jockey Theo Bachelot.

Policy Of Truth looked a touch one paced last time out in the French Guineas and could benefit from both the step up in distance and the softer underfoot conditions. His trainer Pia Brandt has always suggested that Policy of Truth could be a horse for the Jockey Club and the son of Siyouni, who likes to be on the pace, is perfectly drawn in stall five.

IN SWOOP TO CONTINUE ARC TRAIL

Even if he hasn’t got a runner in the Prix du Jockey Club, trainer Francis Henri Graffard looks set to have a successful afternoon and saddles red-hot favourite In Swoop for the Group Two Grand Prix de Chantilly.

Second in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, In Swoop is a confirmed mud-lover and cemented his position amongst the best middle distances horses in Europe with a facile success at ParisLonchamp last month. The son of Alderflug will once again be ridden by jockey Oliver Peslier and discovers the piste at Chantilly for the first time this afternoon.

Almost a stone clear of nearest rival Nagano Gold on ratings, this should be no more than a routine gallop for In Swoop as he carves his path towards a second attempt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.

OTHER GROUP/LISTED PERFORMERS TO NOTE

On what is such an exciting day's racing, it is difficult to single out only a handful of runners but one that does jump off the page is the Stephane Wattel trained two-year-old Dizzy Bizu. An extremely impressive winner over course and distance on her debut, the daughter of Caravaggio should be difficult to beat in the Listed Prix La Fleche. Coming from an extremely precocious family, Dizzy Bizu showed blistering speed under jockey Theo Bachelot on that debut success and with only five rivals to contend with, she should be able to make it from pillar to post.

A sub-standard renewal of the Group Three Prix de Royaumount could offer the Fabrice Chappet trained Omnia Munda Mundis the chance to get her head back in front this afternoon.

The Group Three placed daughter of Australia remains entered in the Prix de Diane and may have just been a little under the weather (like many in the care of trainer Chappet) on her recent start. Given the recent return of form of the Chappet yard, it is easier to have confidence in Omnia Munda Mundis here and if the filly runs to her previous form, then she should have no problem getting back to winning ways in this Group Three event.