Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 17:13, PRIX DU PONT NEUF-Listed, €55,000, 3yo, 7fT
Field: Zalari (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}), Burhan (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Tolebi (Fr) (Golden Horde {Ire}), Libyan Pharoah (Fr) (American Pharoah), Afogado (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Champagne Powder (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}), Blue Island (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Epson Blue Cen (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}).
TDN Verdict: In an open renewal of this low-key stepping stone, Paul and Oliver Cole's British raider Champagne Powder has solid claims, despite his status as a three-race maiden. The G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains entry was under two lengths adrift of G1 Criterium International runner-up Mount Kilimanjaro (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) when third in this venue's €260,000 Criterium d'Automne on Arc Weekend and he registered a promising comeback second over one mile at Compiegne four weeks ago. Aga Khan Studs nominee Zalari, who hails from the in-form Francis Graffard yard, devoured Chantilly's polytrack surface when notching a six-length tally on seasonal bow last month and rates an obvious danger. Yeguada Centurion's G1 Prix Morny fifth and G3 Prix Eclipse fourth Epson Blue Cen, an Henri Devin-trained G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches entry representing last year's winning stable, is compromised by the outside draw but overcame a similar disadvantage when winning her latest start at Chantilly in October. Andre Fabre, who last won this heat in 2020 with recent G1 Sydney Cup hero Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), relies on impressive Saint-Cloud maiden winner Tolebi and the more experienced Burhan.
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