The big day has arrived and will follow on from a good day's racing yesterday, more of which anon.
Sunday has the usual 6 G1s and starts off with the Prix Marcel Boussac for the 2yo fillies. It is over 1600m and has a field of 10 with the going showing as soft. Aidan O'Brien won all the four races in which he had runners yesterday so that form could continue with Bedtime Story on 5/2 with Ryan Moore on board. She would have to beat the odds-on favourite Zarigana, by Siyouni and a grand-daughter of Zarkova. She won a G3 over c&d recently and impressed. Simmering is improving with every run but is not yet In the class of the first two but could place and 5/1 with McMonagle riding for Ollie Sangster.
The Jean-Luc Lagardere is over 1400m for 2yos that aren't gelded! Amazing that this ridiculous restriction applies to a 1400m race however. Henri Matisse has firmed into favourite overnight and is now on 2/1 for O'Brien-Moore with the son of Wooton Bassett expected to maintain the O'Brien run. Field of Gold is on 5/2 Gosdens-Shoemark and we like Misunderstood especially with Pouchin riding for Barratti and their quote of 5/1.
The Prix de l'Abbaye is over the 1000m and 16 to line up. It's harder to pick here and while we like Believing (scratched from another race to run here) and Bradsell this race often throws up an unexpected winner, No Half Measure is on 9/2 and we may in the end go for Makarova on 12/1 with Tom Marquand riding for Ed Walker. If he wins that could cause friction at home as wife Hollie is on Bradsell!
The Arc itself – over 2400m has a field of 16 and any one of about 5 could win and it would not be a major surprise if any one of the first 10 won. At present the market has Sosie on 9/2 on top with Guyon riding for Fabre. Andre Fabre has been very positive about this 3yo. Look de Vega is on 5/1 for the Lerners and Ronan Thomas. This is another top 3yo who blotted his copy book recently but otherwise has been impressive.
Aidan O'Brien has also been very positive about Los Angeles on 5/1so will the winner be local or a raider? There is another raider who comes from even further away in the Japanese runner Shin Emperor, trained by the Maestro Yahagi and his regular rider Sakai will be in the irons. He's on 13/2 and has a really good chance here with the race being so open. We also have a roughie here in another Fabre runner – Mqse de Sevigne with Pouchin riding and 22/1 very tempting at least for an each-way.
With the other possibles there's Blue Stocking who was supplemented for this at great expense to his owners, Fantastic Moon a top German runner who is now back in top form, Al Riffa, Aventure and Continuous so we hope you have deep enough pockets to put them in the multiples.
The Prix del'Opéra follows with the f&m going 2000m and 11 to run. Fallen Angel is on 3/1 for Burke-James Doyle, Ylang Ylang 10/3 for O'Brien-Moore and Sparkling Plenty 9/2 for Cottier-Demuro. We like Fallen Angel but may go for the local Sparkling Plenty as Ylang Ylang hasn't blown us away with her recent form.
Then the Prix de la Forêt closes the card. It is over 1400m with 18 to run. Kinross showed that he's still a force to be reckoned with and is on 3/1 here with Rossa Ryan riding form Beckett. Chris Head's Ramatuelle is in good form and on 4/1 with Lemaitre riding and we will add Tribalist 7/1 for Fabre-Barzelona.
The track is soft and there are some light showers expected during the day.
