5f Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) (2yo+)
Battash is the best sprinter on the planet and has broken many a track record when the ground is fast. But the rain has plummeted down at Longchamp and it’s going to be on the heavy ground. Yes, Battash has won on soft ground, but he’s never raced on heavy and I’m prepared to take a chance that he might just have an off day under the conditions.
The race is fully of high quality sprinters, some are more exposed than others. I could see Mabs Cross coming back to form in the race she won last year, but she hasn’t been quite the same this season. Fairyland proved her Group 1 credentials last time out and she would have been of interest if the ground was better.
The French have not managed to win this context for several years and their biggest hope is by no means a forlorn one. SPINNING MEMORIES has been supplmented by Pascal Bary and connections for this contest. This four-year-old filly only had the seven career starts over turf and has been highly progressive, particularly since it dropped to 6f.
The drop to 5f is a slight concern, but Longchamp can become very testing and it’ll be no bad thing that this filly can stay further if the race is strongly run. Importantly, she also has a win on heavy ground at the track so we know she thrives in these kinds of conditions.
If Battash falls short of his best for whatever reason come Sunday, then I fancy Spinning Memories to be the chief danger and well worth an each-way punt at 10/1.
1pt each-way Spinning Memories @10/1, 16:30 Longchamp, Sunday (four places, 1/5 odds with Skybet)
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