French 2,000 Guineas 2011

3.25 Longchamp

Poule D'Essai Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) (Group 1) (Class 1)  (3YO only)

Winner €309,735 - 14 run

Pick: Glaswegian (each/way)

Glaswegian: Improved for every racecourse experience, building on modest juvenile form when giving 3lbs to subsequent listed winner Modern History (reopposes); Better still when winning Prix de Fontainebleau from seven rivals here and has extremely strong claims on that form from nice draw.

Havane Smoker: Won first three races with great potential before just losing out to French Navy in C&D Group 3; Both disappointed in Criterium International but back to something like his best when chinned on line in Group 3 on reappearance but more needed.

Venemous: Three wins from seven races so far, but all of them in small contests which have no bearing no this event and well behind Salto when they’ve met (one occasion).

Surfrider: Got the better of a useful horse in Havant Smoker, having finished well behind him on their two year old meeting; Hard to see him doing too much better and needs to improve massively.

Magiuri: Unextended to land 2 conditions events in easy style before improving again with a win in listed company over C&D (Very soft ground): Very respectable efforts in Group 1 company lasck backend, so disappointing that he ran so abjectly on seasonal debut; Could bounce back but would need to do so in very big way.

Barocci: Stepped on from taking two year old debut to land Prix Omioum at Saint Cloud and while running well, probably didn’t better that form when fourth behind Galsweigan here last time out stuck out well wide in draw.

Wootton Bassett: Five from five in marvellous juvenile campaign last year, topping sales race double with decisive all the way thrashing in Prix Jean Luc here (well ahead of Tin Horse and Maguiuri); That form given him outstanding claims and stable form couldn’t be better, but being drawn 14 out of 15 is huge hindrance.

Midsummer Fair: Impressed when making a very forward debut to landing Wood Ditton Stakes with ease at Newmarket, gaining a big jump on his rivals by settling early; This a whole different order though and form of his win not working out.

Modern History: Beat Glaswegian in a conditions race at Longchamp on his re-appearance, before taking a Listed contest at Toulouse, beating the smart Etive by three-quarters of a length; On worse terms with second (Glaswegian) from that contest though, and being drawn in stall 13 doesn’t help.

Imperial Rome: Took a deserved step up in grade in his stride when landing listed contest at Curragh last time, that being  after smashing his rivals up at Dundalk, comfortably winning maiden and bolting up off mark of 90 in decent affair last time; Can give this good shot but has it much harder here.

Temps Au Temps: Winner and second at listed level last season but unable to make his mark in Group 2 Criteirum de Maisons-Laffitte; Beaten far in both starts this season and hard to recommend.

Tin Horse: Looked like horse with future when bolting up by a combined total of 7 lengths on his first 2 starts, barely extended to beat Realisatrice and Zack Yield; Well beaten in Robert Papin but shaped completely differently in the Morny/Prix Jean Luc and the most likely to reverse form with Glaswegian from last time.

Hung Parliament: Well beaten on debut at Newbury but made hay in France since, winning a listed event and then really well when beaten behind My Name Is Bond (track record holder here); Didn’t allow himself to race when pulling in the Fontainebleau and hard to see him making an impact.

Salto: Late improved through last season, bettering couple of useful efforts to finish clear second behind Roderic O’Connor in Criterium International; Well beaten behind Glaswegian on seasonal debut and while improvement expected, he has a lot to atone for.

VERDICT: Another big field means that the draw once again comes into play. Wotton Bassett has them all held on his Prix Jean Luc win and all the signs are there for a big run but things could go badly wrong if he doesn’t break out well from 14 out of 15 so a saver is suggested on GLASWEIGAN, who has 6 of these held on his trial win last time and has a plum spot in stall three. He can reverse form with Modern History on better terms, while Tin Horse and Salto are others than can take a hand.