5f Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) (2yo+)
The draw is often such a massive deciding factor of the winner it what is probably one of the least aesthetically pleasing Group 1 sprints to watch in the flat calendar year. In truth, the Prix De L’Abbaye is probably at best a strong Group 3 on paper this year and I am quite happy to pick the front two from the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes (Group 3) that was raced at Newbury 3 weeks ago.
Fillies and the Irish have done well in this race in recent years, and the race could be set up for TERESA MENDOZA who has been given a plum draw in stall 5 sitting behind two pacemakers in The Platinum Queen (the favourite who I don’t fancy to get home) and Tees Spirit (who would have been my pick if the race was on good ground). These two are drawn either side of Teresa Mendoza and should help give her a lovely lead into the race. She is wearing blinkers for the first time and is one who can perform well on this ground.
MITBAAHY is two pounds worse at the weights with Teresa Mendoz for his neck victory last time out. He is a horse that is massively on the upgrade in pattern-class sprints, and outside of A Case Of You may be the only one in here that could turn out to be a genuine Group 1 performer. His performances have generally been better with ease in the ground, albeit ground this soft is going to be a bit of an unknown.
Mitbaahy has been given a terrible draw in stall 15 which may be tricky to overcome, but there has been winners from out there before and has pace all around him so if anything is going to come with a winning run from out in the car park then it might be Mitbaahy for the in-form Roger Varian and David Egan.
1pt win Teresa Mendoza @10/1, 1pt win Mitbaahy @14/1, 15:50 Sunday, Longchamp
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