By Tom Frary
Still one of the best of her sex on her day, Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) heads back to Deauville on Sunday to bid to achieve what none other has in the G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois. So impressive here in 2022 and 2023, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 5-year-old is in unchartered territory tackling a third that the likes of Miesque, Spinning World and Palace Pier (GB) were never asked to entertain. Found out for lack of stamina in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, the homebred has given no indication that she has lost any of her former prowess and with the weather playing ball it is all in place for her to register the landmark win. The Prix Jacques le Marois is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.
It could be that those most likely to spoil Inspiral's party are Nurlan Bizakov's G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's unbeaten G2 Summer Mile scorer Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), with the latter dangerously unexposed having been nurtured by the Crisfords thus far. Charyn has turned himself inside out this term, maturing from a colt that was thoroughly likeable and dependable but limited to one who gives the impression he is fit to take on anything.
Trainer Roger Varian is relishing the opportunity to back up his Royal Ascot success over a track that should suit. “He's grown into himself this year and is starting to look the finished article,” he explained. “He's always been a good horse and he just seems to have found a new level this year, which is great for everyone involved. We're enjoying the journey and had a great day at Royal Ascot and hopefully he has another big run in him on Sunday.”
Quddwah has some way to go from his Summer Mile win and this has historically proven a tough race for those lacking top-level practice, but it is significant that his shrewd connections have unwavering faith in him. “We discussed the Sussex, but we felt the straight mile at Deauville would be more suitable for him. It's a high-quality field and a very good race, but he's got form to suggest he should be in the mix,” Ed Crisford said.
“The way Charyn won the Queen Anne was very impressive and if Inspiral can bounce back to form, she's a two-time winner of the race already, there's the French Guineas winner there and Richard Hannon's Haatem so they are all dangers but we're just hoping to run a really good race and we'll learn a lot about him,” Crisford Jr added. “I think he'll suit a nice strong pace. When he hits the front Callum [Shepherd] said he felt he was always doing enough and if they'd got to him at Ascot he would have gone again.”
Peter R Bradley and Scuderia Scolari's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) probably needs last year's runner-up Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) to set a strong pace, but Wathnan Racing's dual 2,000 Guineas-placed Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) would be happier with it being slack given his seven-furlong speed. “We gave him a little bit of time off to freshen up after Royal Ascot, but Richard [Hannon] reports he's in very good form,” the owners' European racing adviser Richard Brown said.
“It is obviously a very deep race, but he deserves to take his chance and we're looking forward to seeing him run. We know he is tough and wears his heart on his sleeve, so he will put in a brave performance, I'm sure.”
Al Riffa Takes Aim At Grosser Preis von Berlin…
Having roughed up City Of Troy (Justify) in the Eclipse, Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) goes hunting for his first Group 1 win since the 2022 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes in Sunday's Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten. Up to a mile and a half for the first time, he has a form edge over Godolphin's Listed Tapster Stakes and Listed Fred Archer Stakes winner King Of Conquest (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) with last year's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden runner-up Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) gradually working his way back to his best.
Back at Deauville, the G3 Prix Francois Boutin sees a case of nominative determinism in action with the unbeaten Houquetot (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) carrying the Al Shaqab Racing silks. That operation also have the smart Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) engaged in the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club, where he meets another past kingpin needing a reversal of fortunes in Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}). That sentiment also applies to TDN Rising Star Gala Real (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who looks to rebound from her G1 Prix de Diane flop in the G3 Prix Lady O'Reilly.
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