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Grand Prix de Paris horse-by-horse guide and verdict
There is Group One action at Longchamp on Wednesday evening in the Grand Prix de Paris - don't miss our horse-by-horse guide and verdict.
Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris 1m4f
- When: 19.20 BST, Wednesday July 14
- Where: ParisLongchamp
- TV: Sky Sports Racing (Sky channel 415)
- Odds: Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
- Racecard & FREE video form
- Odds from Sky Bet were correct at 1530 BST 13/07/21
SAIYDABAD
Jean-Claude Rouget has won the Grand Prix de Paris twice before, but not since Behkabad in 2010. This year he has two contenders in SAIYDABAD and Cheshire Academy, the former finishing a length in front of his stablemate when fourth in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, won by St Mark’s Basilica. The Blame colt was held up in the rear that day and weaved his way through on the inside for a never-nearer three-length fourth, so this first go at 1m4f could well bring about some more improvement. I’m not sure whether he’ll be able to confirm the form with Cheshire Academy, though. (Odds: 15/2)
SIR LAMORAK
Aidan O’Brien has won this race the last three years with Kew Gardens, Japan and Mogul, and five times in total, so his three-strong squad for the race are greatly respected. SIR LAMORAK is probably his leading hope this time around, the son of Camelot having showed nice improvement throughout the spring that culminated in his Royal Ascot second behind Surefire. That was in a handicap from a mark of 100, so more is required, but he stayed on well that day to take second and it was his first run for 67 days, so further progression on just the second time he has tackled the distance cannot be ruled out. (Odds: 17/2)
THE MEDITERRANEAN
A lightly-raced son of Galileo who has had just four starts, THE MEDITERRANEAN is the second of the Ballydoyle trio. Galileo’s prowess at getting his progeny to stay no matter the dam is apparent again here, with Flashy Wings being a speedy juvenile who barely got a mile at three. This horse looks to stay well, though, and he ran well in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot when fourth without having the class to keep tabs on the winner, Alenquer. That could well be the case again here. (Odds: 22/1)
WORDSWORTH
Team O’Brien is completed by WORDSWORTH, who is another lightly-raced son of Galileo. He was sent off the 100/30 favourite for the Queen’s Vase on what was just his fourth career start last month, but he looked a little laboured late on, certainly in comparison to the winner, Kemari, with perhaps his keenness in the early part of the race undoing his finishing effort somewhat. Turned out 10 days later in the Irish Derby, he settled better but was no match for Hurricane Lane when that colt came with a charging late run. He has a job on if he’s to reverse that form. (Odds: 14/1)
BABY RIDER
It’s 14 years since Pascal Bary won this race for the first and only time with Zambezi Sun, with BABY RIDER his contender this year. The Gleneagles colt went into the French Derby as a 12/1 chance on the back of two wins from two as a three-year-old, his Prix Greffulhe victory at Saint-Cloud on May 1 his standout piece of form. Things didn’t go to plan at Chantilly, however, as he weakened into 14th late on following a prominent ride and he’s stepped up in trip now in a bid to find the key. He’s not an obvious one for 1m4f on pedigree, although his dam is a half-sister to Derby winner Wings Of Eagles. (Odds: 40/1)
NORTHERN RULER
A German raider for Andreas Wohler, NORTHERN RULER is a son of Derby winner Ruler Of The World and has already succeeded in France at a lower level this season. Two from two at Chantilly this campaign, his latest victory in the Group Three Prix du Lys Longines was a career best and he did it nicely, with Maxime Guyon easing him close home once he’d got on top of the favourite, Bubble Gift, who reopposes. Has to find more to trouble the market leaders but he’s lightly raced and is a bit of an unknown quantity. (Odds: 20/1)
HURRICANE LANE
The form pick here on the back of his Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby success, HURRICANE LANE only has one blot on his dancecard and that was when third to stablemate Adayar in the Derby where he lost both front shoes. Stamina is this horse’s forte and it’s no surprise he’s being aimed at the St Leger after finishing with a flourish to beat Lone Eagle over the testing 1m4f at the Curragh. This track should suit his style on that evidence but, while he looks the one they all have to beat, he could be vulnerable tactically if he sits as far back as he did in Ireland. (Odds: 6/4)
CASH EQUITY
A home-trained outsider, CASH EQUITY is two wins from six starts for his career. The Toronado colt looks to have it all to do in this on a line through Baby Rider, who beat him by six lengths, as comfortably as that winning distance suggests, in the Prix Greffulhe. Has to improve plenty on his first go at 1m4f to get involved and his pedigree hardly suggests that he will do. (Odds: 80/1)
ALENQUER
If backing Hurricane Lane at short prices doesn’t float your boat then ALENQUER looks the most viable alternative. The Adlerflug colt caused a 25/1 shock on his seasonal reappearance in the Sandown Classic Trial, but that form has worked out tremendously well with the second, Adayar, winning the Derby, the third, Yibir, winning the Bahrain Trophy, and the fourth, Lone Eagle, winning the Cocked Hat at Goodwood before his Irish Derby second. Alenquer himself went onto prove it was no fluke as he ran to a similar level of form when winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot where Tom Marquand was adamant he won despite the heavy ground, not because of it. (Odds: 4/1)
CHESHIRE ACADEMY
CHESHIRE ACADEMY looks the one that the British and Irish raiders should fear the most from the home-trained contingent. The Flintshire colt was awarded the Group Three Prix Noailles in the stewards’ room at Longchamp in April when he finished with a real rattle over 10 furlongs and he was not disgraced when fifth in the French Derby. Slowly away from a wide draw at Chantilly, he had to circle the field and finished well for fifth, hinting that he can reverse the form with stablemate Saiydabad who had a much kinder trip. (Odds: 7/1)
BUBBLE GIFT
Mikel Delzangles’ BUBBLE GIFT was sent off the evens favourite for the Prix du Lys Longines at Chantilly, but he couldn’t quite keep tabs on Northern Ruler and he has work to do to reverse that form. The son of Nathaniel does bring Longchamp form to the table, though, as prior to that defeat to the German horse he did stay on strongly to land the Group Two Prix Hocquart over 1m3f at this track in May where he beat Gregolimo by a neck. That’s significant, as Cheshire Academy beat Gregolimo more convincingly when he was awarded the Prix Noailles. (Odds: 20/1)
VERDICT
Hurricane Lane is a deserved favourite and the obvious form pick on the back of his Irish Derby success, but there isn’t a great deal of obvious pace on paper and at the likely odds it could be worth giving him a swerve in what could be a tactical affair.
The Ballydoyle contingent might make that statement look silly but Sir Lamorak and The Mediterranean were held up on their most recent starts and Wordsworth, for all that he races close up, might not have the guns to inject serious pace into the contest.
With that in mind ALENQUER’s Sandown success looks a most relevant piece of form, not just because of how it has worked out but because he travelled well on the front end and kept finding. At the prices he’s a value alternative to the well-fancied favourite.
The domestic danger could well be Cheshire Academy, as he has a course win to his name thanks to the stewards and he improved from that despite adversity in the French Derby.