France's frenzied week of high-class action continues on Thursday, with ParisLongchamp again in action with key trials for the middle-distance Classics. First up is the nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force for the colts, with last year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Mkfancy (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) looking to build on a solid comeback effort when beaten a length attempting to give four pounds to the smart Waltham (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault over this trip on Chantilly's Polytrack Mar. 9. This rates as the most serious challenge yet for Abdullah Al Maddah's bay, with Waltham's trainer Christophe Ferland engaging the Wertheimers' Pao Alto (Fr) (Intello {Ger}). He signed off in 2019 with an emphatic 4 1/2-length success in the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux at Bordeaux-le-Bouscat in October and is joined by a pair of intriguing prospects and TDN Rising Stars in Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah) and Another Sky (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). The former, who races for the Magnier/Tabor/Smith alignment and Andre Fabre, was highly impressive when winning by eight lengths over a mile at Saint-Cloud in October, while Another Sky lit up Chantilly Mar. 3 with a powerful debut display on the Polytrack. Freddy Head throws George Strawbridge's half-brother to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in at the deep end on his first turf start and connections will learn a lot more about him here.
Potential protagonists for the G1 Prix de Diane have the G3 Prix Vanteaux to aim at on the card, where Team Valor International's Emoji (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is a fascinating contender. With Henk Grewe last term, the impressive Baden-Baden maiden scorer shone on her first start for the Francis-Henri Graffard stable when making all to beat the re-opposing Galova (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix la Camargo at a mile Mar. 15. She encounters White Birch Farm's acquisition Flighty Lady (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}), who was last seen finishing third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac here on Arc day for the Gavin Hernon yard. Like Emoji, she has made the switch to a bigger operation, this time Jean-Claude Rouget, and she sets the form standard.
For the fillies in need of a stouter trip, the opening 11-furlong Listed Prix de la Seine sees another Team Valor-Graffard link-up with the Mar. 6 Listed Prix Rose de Mai third American Apples (Fr) (American Post {GB}), who meets Shadwell's Jan. 23 Cagnes-Sur-Mer debut scorer Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) from Rouget's troupe. Later on the card, the seven-furlong Listed Prix du Pont Neuf plays host to a further Rouget representative in the G3 Prix la Rochette third Sujet Libre (Fr) (Hurricane Cat) who encounters Coolmore's Listed Prix Francois Boutin runner-up Arapaho (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The 10-furlong Listed Prix Zarkava is another intriguing contest, with Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) reappearing for the first time since her surprise third in Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane last June. She faces a clutch of potential improvers among the older fillies and mares, including the Aga Khan's Listed Prix Casimir Delamarre winner Dariyza (Fr) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).
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