The local fare is unappealing today so it's over to France where they have Group 1 and Group 2 action on the menu. Not bad for a Monday and I can't see that sort of fare ever being served over here on Manic Mondays.
The race of the day is the Group 1 Prix St Alary and it is a competitive renewal, if lacking a star candidate. Several fillies with a chance and it looks a call between two unexposed types with ground to make up and a handful with stronger form but perhaps lacking the scope to progress.
Perhaps surprisingly Francis Graffard's Sibila Spain was the early favourite for today's 10F contest. The daughter of Frankel is 2/2 in her career that started with a nine length demolition job in a heavy ground maiden. She then followed up as 2/9 Fav when upped in trip to 11F in a stakes race, where her margin of victory was a length and a half on very soft ground. It is a big jump now to Group 1 and her last race has worked out poorly. Clearly at home on soft going but I felt she had enough to prove at her price.
Slightly more exposed is Penja but she has been brought along steadily by Jean-Claude Rouget. The daughter of Camelot seemed to take another step forward with a nice win at Deauville on seasonal debut but that race has not worked out well and she does need to find about another 10 lbs now in at the deep end from a more modest level. She is due her step up in class but has to prove that she is up to it. Tipped by ATR's French Correspondent today, I just feel her last race didn't quite show me enough to back her in a race where several also hold claims.
Cirona won a messy looking Prix De La Grotte. It was a blanket finish where my pick Sweet Lady finished 4th after being way off the pace and delivered too late. The 2nd. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th from the race all ran in the French 1000 Guineas but all of them were unplaced. My filly Sweet Lady gained revenge on the rest in finishing 4th but that race itself was messy with 66/1 shot Coeursamba winning from Newmarket heroine Mother Earth. I felt Cirona was a bit lucky to win the La Grotte and I don't fancy her upped by 3F from that trial for the Guineas.
Rumi is another daughter of Frankel and she is edging into favourite for this race. She seemed to take a good leap forward when winning the Group 3 Vanteaux Stakes from Petricor. The form took a boost of sorts when Petricor landed a Listed Race next time but she was 1/2F for that contest and scrambled home by a short head that day. The remainder of Rumi's race has not worked out well and as favourite now I think Rumi is too short at about 7/2.
Anasia and Incarville are others with each-way shouts perhaps but I played the Fabre filly Harajuku at 6/1.
Harajuku made a good debut last season and I thought she may be aimed at the Boussac as a long term target. The daughter of the late sire Deep Impact was fast tracked to Group 3 company but finished in 2nd place that day. They did up her to the Group 1 Boussac next time though but she could manage only 8th in that heavy ground competition. Guineas winner Couersamba and Fev Rover were in the Boussac, so it represents a decent level of form. Dropped in grade on her reappearance Harajuku was 3rd as the favourite that day but may have needed that race. She came out in Group 3 company following that comeback effort and ran out quite a nice winner on the day, gaining revenge on the filly who had won the previous race. I feel there is more to come form Harajuku and she may have appreciated the gentler learning curve this season, compared to the rush to the upper echelon's last year.
2.50 Longchamp Harajuku 6/1
