View From France: Preview of Saint-Cloud Tuesday meeting

As was the case at last Tuesday's meeting from Saint-Cloud, we are treated to another bumper ten-race card from the Parisian racecourse.

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Rouget youngster Moujik could have star potential

Impressive when winning his maiden at Toulouse towards the end of last season, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Moujik looks the likely winner of the Prix Birum (11.10) as the son of Siyouni faces only seven rivals.

For that maiden win Moujik passed the post only a half a length in front when taking the Prix Francazal, although a huge amount of positives can be drawn from the performance. Having been ridden mid-peloton that day, he was forced to make his effort three-wide, in turn giving up a lot of ground before staying on very strongly under a hands and heels ride to hit the line full of running in what has turned out to be a very strong race.

Placed that day were Waltham and Speed Chance. The former went on to notch up a trio of wins, culminating in a Listed success while Speed Chance scored a brace of victoris on his next few starts.

Moujik’s dam Balashkova won over this course and distance on her debut and if jockey Cristian Demuro gets the colt out quickly from the perfect inside draw of stall one, then they may not see another rival.

Rouget struck with the impressive Port Guillaume in a similar type of race here last week and that horse is destined for further success. The shrewd trainer may also have big ambitions for Moujik, who holds multiple Group One entries.

The main danger may come from the Gavin Hernon-trained National Service, a winner over 1,500m on his debut at Deauville in December. The son of Elusive City showed an excellent attitude for that debut success and the step up in trip combined with the switch to turf today should play to his advantage, as well as having the assistance of in-form jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot who takes the ride.

Classy Waahat looks a level above rivals

Much like the preceding race trainer Rouget holds the ace card for the Prix Nubienne (11.40) in the shape of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned Waahaat.

The daughter of Siyouni made an eye-catching debut when winning over course and distance here in September before finishing a running-on second over 1,500m at Deauville, although that doesn’t quite show the whole picture.

Possibly disadvantaged by the fibresand on that run, she broke well from the stalls and was positioned perfectly behind the eventual winner Bellanodine. However her jockey Demuro (who gets the leg up again today) possibly let Bellanodine skip too far clear in the early stages and with still with four lengths to find less that 200m out, Waahaat did incredibly well to finish a short head second over a distance that was amost certainly too short.

There is no doubt that the Rouget-trained filly would have been the winner if ridden slightly more aggressively but in turn now runs here without an extra penalty.

With plenty of entries in all the Group One fillies races throughout the summer, Waahaat should get back on track and be making light work of today's rivals before more than likely being stepped up in class and trip.

It may well be up to stablemate Black Fever to give the favourite the most to think about, the filly rounded off her two-year-old campaign with a cosy win over course and distance last September and jockey Coralie Pacault’s 1.5kg claim nicely offsets her penalty for that win.

Some attractive pedigrees light up the maidens

Kicking off the card are a pair of middle distance maidens for three-year-olds that have never raced and they have both attracted full 18 runner fields. With zero form to guide us we are left to assess the pedigree/trainer combinations, some of which look very appealing.

In the fillies division, the Prix Producer (10.10), particular attention should be paid to Seamia the Carlos Laffon-Parias representative.

Out of fantastic Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia and by Sea The Stars, she has to be considered a potential future champion on paper at least. Coupled with the fact that she will be partnered by in-form jockey Maxime Guyon, punters needn’t look much further than Seamia in their pre-race prognosis.

The male division, the Prix Mississipan (10.40) is slightly less clear-cut as is often the case and both Royame Uni and Tiger Touch stand out.

Trained by Andre Fabre, Royaume Uni has the perfect credentials to make up into a champion. A son of Galileo and a half-brother to Group One Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Novellist, he runs in the famous Coolmore silks and should develop into a useful stayer over time.

While expensive purchase Tiger Touch lines up for the in-form Nicolas Clement stable, who sent out Beauty Pour Toi to score on debut here last Tuesday. A son of top stallion American Pharaoh, he is the first produce of Group One-placed Osaila, who was trained by Richard Hannon. Tiger Touch could well be the dark horse in the field.

Couetil triple-handed in AQPS Group Three

A rather particular type of event, the Prix d’Estruval (12.10) is a Group Three restricted to horses registered AQPS (Autre que pur-sang) a French-breed of horse that is normally targeted towards jump racing.

Of the three runners in the race for Sennonnes-based trainer Alain Couetil, Gannat looks the most likely winner of the eight runner event having already landed a Group One at this course last winter, although Genola should not be lightly dismissed in an interesting contest.

The four-year-old daughter of Martaline was unbeaten in her two starts prior to lining up for the Listed bumper at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day where she finished a close third under today’s jockey Maryline Eon. Frustratingly an administration error at declaration stage ruled her out of a planned engagement in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival two months later.

She looks extremely talented and if there are any doubts over the favourite's fitness on her return to action, then it could be her stablemate Genola that takes the spoils.

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