Prix Jacques Le Marois 2011

2.55 Deauville

Prix Du Haras De Fresnay-Le-Buffard - Jacques Le Marois (Group 1) (3yo+ Colts, Fillies & Mares)  (3yo+) Winner £295,552

Picks : Cityscape & Worthadd (each/way)

Cityscape: Signed off last year with wins in Listed and Group 3 company, a nine length win in the Joel Stakes possibly exaggerated by soft ground; Bettered that form again when clear second to Dick Turpin in bet365 Mile (reopposes); Bettered that by some way when chasing home Canford Cliffs and Goldikova on going faster than ideal in the Queen Anne and now ground has softened he rates a fascinating proposition.

 

Planetur: Was one of best three year olds last season, winning Group 2 before making frame in Prix Du Jockey Club, Grand Prix De Paris & Prix Niel; Not up to the task in Arc/Hong Kong Cup but serious performance when disposing of decent field with contemptuous ease on reappearance and career best when disposing of Sarafina with something to spare latest; Disappointment in Prince Of Wales’s Stakes; Interesting with soft ground but drop back in trip doesn’t make appeal.

Dick Turpin: Revelation last year when running with credit in several classic and Group 1 races & back in style with easy win in Bet365 Mile at Sandown; Disappointing when well beaten in Lockinge and when last in Prix D’Isphan but back to best in Summer Mile at Ascot; Entirely capable of winning this.

Worthadd: Champion horse in Italy who showed his talents on other stage when  running a cracker from the front to finish second in the Lockinge, and no more than an exercise when he won at Italy; Rates a serious chance.

Royal Bench: Always had the talent; Second behind Beauty Flash in Hong Kong, fourth in Duty Free afterwards; Sham of a race at Karnjii next time and this should suit more, but no telling he’ll do any better here.

Flash Dance: Pacemaker for Goldikova.

Goldikova: Confirmed herself best European mare of recent times with stunning wins in D’Isphan, Queen Anne and Rotschild along with Foret & third Breeders Cup Mile; Another classy effort when winning D’Isphan for second time and bounced back from defeat of Canford Cliffs with another easy win in Rotschild (Saphresa well held) last time out and the one to beat here; This is toughest test for a long time though and serious doubts about her participation, never mind her wining on heavy ground as it has been called at time of writing; Weather check needed.

Saphresa: Developed into top class miler and unlucky not to again Asian Group 1 win in two tries last year, having previously taken Sun Chariot Stakes for second year running; Scarcely believable how she hacked all over quality opposition down at 7 furlongs on reappearance and then undone by slow gallop in Falmouth Stakes when Timepeice got first run; Reversed that form with something to spare here last time out but flattered massively by margin and deeper race this time.

Mutual Trust: Deeply impressive winner of the Prix Paul De Moussac, when ratting up a quick-fire hat-trick, having already registered a pair of minor victories (did by far best of those off the pace, even in a strongly run race);Rallied again when winning the Prix Jean Prat (one of three could have won) and thoroughly progressive, although ground is a serious question mark.

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; Turned promise into classic success when running away with the French 2,000 Guineas latest but that a poor renewal to say least and well held in French Derby.

Immortal Verse: Impressive winner of debut conditions race at Deauville and best of rest behind Helleborine in Prix D’Amule; Taken time to come to hand but impressive at best when winning Prix Sandringham with something to spare; Betttered that even in Coronation Stakes and while progressive a line through the second suggests older fillies, let alone colts will prove too much.

Polemique: Pacemaker for Goldikova.

VERDICT: The outstanding Goldikova is the one they all have to beat but I’d be doubtful that she runs if the ground is heavy, and we all know she produces her best on a fast surface, as we saw last year. Mutual Trust could be an option but this is a big step up for him and he too has a question mark on the ground, having never raced on anything worse than good to soft. CITYSCAPE’S scope for improvement on this ground is immense and he is taken as the each/way pick to prosper should either of the front two flop, while I can’t be without WORTHADD as a value option too.