Deauville's month-long festival begins in earnest on Sunday with the G1 Prix Rothschild the first of five such events at the Normandy venue. Last year's G1 Prix Saint-Alary and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) returns to France for the fourth time and to this venue for the second, having been runner-up in the 2017 G3 Prix du Calvados prior to her blossoming into the top-class filly we now know so well. Having taken part in the two mile championship races for older horses, the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Queen Anne S., she returns to the company of her own sex and will be a warm order to carry on the seemingly endless overseas domination of French feature races. Second in the former at Newbury on May 18, John Dance's 4-year-old was sixth at Royal Ascot on June 18 and it is fair to say that those encounters represent puzzling form.
Trainer Karl Burke is hoping she can get her season back on track. “I've been happy with her for the last couple of weeks,” he said. “She's 100% over a little problem and we're looking forward to running her.” PJ McDonald echoed those thoughts. “I just hope she can do herself justice, but we are quite confident she's in good form and is the one they have to beat if she runs to her level of form,” her rider added. “She's not been running badly, but because she had such a good year last year people expect more. Her first runs this year were always going to be the hardest and she has more of a chance here.”
Withdrawn from last Sunday's G2 Kilboy Estate S., the June 19 G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner Move Swiftly (GB) (Farhh {GB}) has conditions in her favour now and she also has the May 25 G2 Ridgewood Pearl S. winner Beshaayir (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) to help. William Haggas saddles Move Swiftly as well as Falmouth S. fifth Beshaayir. “We're going to let the two of them take their chance. It's a Group 1 race with no Coolmore and no Godolphin, which is quite rare,” Haggas said. “Move Swiftly had a bit of a sore hamstring the other day, but she's fine again now and maybe it was God's way of telling me not to run her. She wouldn't mind a bit of cut in the ground, whereas the other filly would prefer faster ground. Hopefully we've got one for every eventuality.”
Khalid Abdullah's Obligate (GB) (Frankel {GB}) comes here on the back of wins in the May 6 Listed Prix des Lilas and June 2 G2 Prix de Sandringham over this trip at Chantilly and as an unbeaten filly getting the weight-for-age allowance rates a threat, while 'TDN Rising Star' With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is tried in blinkers for the first time in a bid to rekindle the form that saw her win last year's renewal. In the G3 Darley Prix de Cabourg, Godolphin are double-handed with the July 14 Listed Prix Roland de Chambure winner Well of Wisdom (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the unbeaten Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal). The latter hails from the Andre Fabre stable and followed a five-furlong debut win at Maisons-Laffitte on June 19 with an authoritative conditions score over this course and distance on July 2.
Charlie Appleby said of the former, “Well of Wisdom is in form and I am happy to go back to six furlongs with him. He showed a good turn of foot when winning at Longchamp and possesses plenty of speed.” Lisa-Jane Graffard said of the home-trained representative, “Earthlight is a very straightforward colt who has done nothing wrong to date. We look forward to seeing how he gets on at this level.”
At Munich, the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis sees the July 6 G1 Eclipse S. fourth Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) tackle the home team which includes the May 26 G3 Prix du Lys winner and July 7 G1 Deutsches Derby fourth Quest the Moon (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
