By Tom Frary
Deauville August comes to a close on Sunday, with the focus being the grand old monument of the meeting, the G2 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville.
In keeping with much of the festival's feature races, there is a significant overseas presence in the 12 1/2-furlong contest with Shadai's Mar. 26 G2 Dubai Gold Cup winner Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) looking to hold a class edge over the domestic runners. More importantly, the Arc entry will provide some kind of guide to the prospects of Japan's leading contender for the ParisLongchamp showcase Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), having been ninth behind his compatriot in the June 26 G1 Takarazuka Kinen.
With a record nine renewals under his name, Andre Fabre is the man here and his go-quietly approach to the career of Godolphin's Botanik (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) has already paid off with the homebred edging out last year's Grand Prix de Deauville winner Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Reux Aug. 7.
Of the day's four other pattern races, Baden-Baden stages the key one with the G3 Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche seeing 'TDN Rising Star' Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) take on the home-trained sprinters.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
