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Five French fancies for Arc day
- Updated: September 28, 2016
There’s a strong raiding party from GB and Ireland heading to Chantilly, but Ben Linfoot picks out five locals for them to fear.
Attendu – Qatar Prix de la Foret
If Limato turns up in top form at Chantilly he’s going to be tough to beat in the Prix de la Foret, but in Attendu the home team have an improving rival and at prices as big as 16/1 he’s worthy of consideration.
The son of Acclamation had a slow start to his three-year-old career and was only ninth to The Gurkha in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, but he’s getting better with racing and has looked much more like the finished article on his last three starts.
Beating Esoterique probably isn’t the scalp it used to be but he dispatched her easily enough in a Group Three at Deauville before finishing a creditable close-up sixth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Last time he was held up over this year’s Foret course and distance in a Group Three won by Charlie Hills’ Jallota, and he stayed on well to beat everything bar the British raider.
That was probably a career-best effort and peaking towards the end of the three-year-old season is something that runs in the family.
His half-sister, Impassable, put in the best performance of her racing life when beating Miss France to the Prix Daniel Wildenstein this time last year, while before that, his other half-sister, Foreign Tune, also put in a lifetime’s best at the end of her three-year-old campaign when winning a Listed race at Saint-Cloud at the end of September.
With that in mind, Attendu – though he’ll have to – could well be ready to run the race of his life.
It’s also worth remembering that the last time Henry Candy’s Limato ran over seven furlongs was in this race last year when he was beaten by France’s Make Believe.
If the son of Tagula has to play second fiddle on his away trip yet again, perhaps it will be another member of the home team that denies him.
Click here to watch the YouTube video of Attendu’s second to Jallota
Jemayel – Prix de l’Opera Longines
Another race, another British-trained favourite. John Gosden’s So Mi Dar looks sure to be all the rage in the Prix de l’Opera following her winning Yarmouth return, but this is a contest the home contingent have done well in recently.
Five of the last seven Opera trophies have stayed in France and Jean-Claude Rouget could well be the latest recipient of one judging by Jemayel’s improving profile this season.
Rouget has had a wonderful season, the exploits of his fillies La Cressonniere and Qemah – who have won four Group Ones between them – highlighting just some of the top-level success he has had this campaign.
Like Qemah, Jemayel is owned by Al Shaqab Racing and, like Qemah, she is also a Group One winner this year.
Her win at the top level came at Deauville back in May, but she looks ready for a crack at another one following two good efforts behind Minding (in the …
