By Tom Frary
Having succumbed to Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 St James's Palace S., Juddmonte's Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) lines up in Deauville's G1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat on Sunday with reputation intact 24 hours on from the Eclipse heroics of that ascendant peer. This is an unusual target for a 2000 Guineas winner, but the pace that the Kingsclere star displayed initially at Royal Ascot suggests the seven-furlong contest will be a perfect fit. That early speed also won out in the Champagne, the Dewhurst and the Guineas itself when the re-opposing Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was closest at the line and will be a potent weapon on this straight track.
“He's a Dewhurst winner over seven furlongs and a multiple group-race winner over that distance, so hopefully that won't inconvenience him,” the operation's European racing manager Barry Mahon. “Oisin is a top-class rider and I'm sure he can jump into any situation and swim rather than sink. He knows the horse and has ridden him plenty at home, so I'm sure he'll be fine.”
Meditating On The Opposition
Aidan O'Brien collected 12 months ago with Tenebrism (Caravaggio), who was dropping back in trip after failing to land a blow in the 1000 Guineas and Coronation, but Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) has something to find attempting the same feat having been disappointing handed the run of the race at Royal Ascot. While she was taking a backward step at the Royal meeting, Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was seen going the other way as he worked into third in the St James's Palace. Of the French, TDN Rising Star Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) has outside claims based on his latest success in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac over this trip at his favoured ParisLongchamp but along with his course-and-distance G3 Prix Djebel conqueror Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) has a class gap to bridge to get to the standard of the overseas contingent.
All Eyes On Beauvatier
Deauville's major August festival is on the horizon and the scrimmaging for leading domestic juvenile is well underway, so the performance of the unbeaten TDN Rising Star Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the Listed Prix Roland de Chambure will be closely scrutinised. Having beaten the wide-margin G3 Prix du Bois winner Ramatuelle (Justify) in a six-furlong conditions event at Saint-Cloud in May, Philippe Allaire's representative is up in trip for the third time in three starts as he tackles a seventh here. Laying in wait is The Aga Khan's 6 1/2-furlong ParisLongchamp winner Zabiari (GB) who looks to continue the golden run of Wootton Bassett (GB).
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