7f Qatar Prix de la Foret (Group 1) (3yo+) (New Course) (Turf) (3yo+)
The ground will be pretty horrendous come 5pm on Arc day and the Foret could be a proper slog to finish the Group 1 proceedings.
I am massive fan of Space Blues, and earlier this week he probably would have been one of my bankers for the weekend. The Charlie Appleby trained colt is the class act in the field, but has a little bit to prove on heavy going, whilst he also has to contend with a wide enough draw. Those factors combined with his drifting short-priced odds means that it’s probably right to take him on from a single-bet perspective but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him power home late on.
Kinross looks like he might have his ideal conditions on Sunday, and actually beat Space Blues earlier this season in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood when he had race fitness on his side. Kinross ran pretty well in the Prix Maurice De Gheest over an unsuitable trip last time out and he looks set to put in a bold show. Speak Of The Devil can go well on this type of ground as well, but I’m not sure she has sufficient Group 1 class.
Sagamiyra is an improving filly and is likely to be a chief danger, but I’m going to side with another filly on the up in PEARLS GALORE. The Irish raider has shown a very high-level of form in her four starts this campaign at Group level and was very close to claiming a victory in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown at her first attempt in Group 1 company.
The form of that race looks pretty solid with four of the front six in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes that took place on Saturday Newmarket coming from the Matron. Pearls Galore travelled superbly during the race, quickening well and was just denied by No Speak Alexander at the finish, going down by a neck but finishing ahead of an unlucky Mother Earth.
Pearls Galore has faced soft-heavy going before as a two-year-old when going down by 0.5 length to Champers Elysses in a Group 2 and although Pearls Galore hasn’t competed on this type of ground since then she does look tough and fairly versatile.
Pearls Galore’s odds of 9/1 surely compensate for the uncertainty about the ground and it’s worth chancing that she can handle it on a track that she is sure to enjoy.
1pt win Pearls Galore @9/1, 17:00 Sunday, Longchamp
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