These days there is a tendency to hype up every half-decent race in the hope of recreating the glory days of Frankel and Black Caviar. For once, this weekend’s Prix Jacques Le Marois is worthy of the build up as Dawn Approach clashes with Intello and Midnight Cloud.
It would have been nice if Toronado had made the line up but Richard Hannon relies on Olympic Glory, a failure in the French Guineas. It is refreshing to see Jim Bolger happy to turn out Dawn Approach so soon after his gallant effort in the Sussex Stakes but I will take my hat off to him if he can beat the two French horses here.
Intello rather unusually began his campaign by bolting up at Newmarket. That was a highly unusual prep race for the French Guineas and he was desperately unlucky not to win that, flashing home all too late in fourth. He confirmed the promise of that run by romping away with the French Derby.
I must admit that I felt it was a travesty to change the distance of the French Derby and it is no longer worthy of the name, but that’s another matter! As it is now more of a mile and a quarter contest there is no reason to fear that the race will have blunted Intello’s speed. He has been out since and won easily over a mile and he is built like a bull.
Midnight Cloud sat on the tail of Lethal Force last weekend and picked him up easily over seven furlongs. We know how good she is from her narrow defeat against Black Caviar last season. It will be intriguing to see whether she is quite as good at a mile but that extra furlong just tips the scales in favour of Intello.
Elusive Kate proved that her victory over Sky Lantern was no fluke when comfortably winning another Group One in France. She is a tough filly to pass but she will do well to match Dawn Approach and Intello here.
My old friend Aljamaaheer is priced up at 16-1 having been taken out of the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood due to the soft ground. The current ground is described as good in France so it could go either way by Sunday. Having backed Aljamaaheer for his last half a dozen outings it is difficult to leave him out but the ground is crucial to him.
Aidan O’Brien may run Declaration Of War again here but he has had a couple of hard races in quick succession and I’d be surprised if he could improve enough to trouble these. It all points to Intello establishing himself as Europe’s top three-year-old colt on Sunday.
Intello 2-1 Coral
