Two days of top racing at Lonchamp this weekend.
Firstly the weather – may be damp on Saturday as rain is expected n Friday going in to Saturday and it looks like the going will be good to soft which isn't too bad for this time of year. Weather on the coolish side.
The Prix Chaudenay as usual kicks things off and it's a G2 3000m race for 3yos with 7 running and to start the pension accumulation we will go with Surabad from the Aga Khan's Estate on 4/1 for Graffard-Barzalona. Espoir Avenir is on 5/2 for the in-form Ferland stable with the jockey Enzo Carolla, and on the same quote Irish raider Tennessee Stud Joseph O'Brien – Browne-McMonagle.
The Prix Cadran is G1 over 4000m and the lack of true staying horses came when only three accepted however seeing that money can grow on trees (or racecourses) five more came forward and so now there is a field of 8. Sunway is the only G1 winner in the field as he won this in 2023! He's with David Menuisier who has C Demuro on board and they are on 5/1. Andrew Balding's Coltrane can run forever and comes in on 11/4 with Oisin Murphy riding and Caballo de Mar is 4/1 for George Scott and Tom Marquand.
The Wildenstein is G2 over 1600m and has a field of 12. We like Alcantor here on 4/1 for Fabre-Demuro with Quddwah on 3/1 for the Crisfords and Soumillon and Dreamline 5/1 for Wattel-Bachelot.
The Prix Royallieu is G1 for f&m over 2800, and here we like Latakia on 9/2 for Graffard-Barzalona as she's won her last two outings. Bedtime Story can often be the source of nightmares as she seems to be her own worst enemy but she's got followers so 3/1 the price for Aidan O'Brien-Soumillon. We are a fan of Sir Mark Prescott's runners and he saddles Consent here on 8/1 with Luke Morris as usual in the irons.
The G2 Prix Dollar over 2000m has 9 runners and there are two from Wathnam Racing from two different stables – Damysus on 3/1 for the Gosdens-C Demuro and First Look 9/2 for Fabre-Barzalona. In between these we have the in-form Bay City Roller on 4/1 for Scott- O Murphy.
We will continue this later when we have a bit more info on Sunday's runners.
