Al Shaqab Racing and Gerard Augustin-Normand's Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}) goes for the hallowed G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club double at Chantilly on Sunday, achieved twice in recent times by Shamardal and Lope de Vega (Ire). He looked ready for a step up from a mile when battling to a short-head defeat of Le Brivido (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), with Rivet (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) three lengths back in third in the May 14 Classic at Deauville and is drawn one in a race with notorious draw issues. “Jean-Claude decided on the Jockey Club over Royal Ascot,” explained Sylvain Vidal, racing manager for Augustin-Normand. “His thinking was the horse is in perfect form now, he's ready to run, so why wait two weeks for Ascot? On pedigree, Brametot should have no problem staying, but also his jockey, Cristian Demuro, says he has no doubts at all about him staying. He's got a chance of winning the Guineas and the Derby and not many do that. We'd like to think he should be able to confirm the form with those that were behind him in the Guineas, but he's also got a lot of speed, which is his weapon. I think he'll find 10 furlongs suits him better. He is in very good form, Jean-Claude's horses are now in great health and we can't wait.”
Andre Fabre was responsible for both Shamardal and Lope de Vega and saddles a trio headed by 'TDN Rising Star' Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who captured the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud in October prior to returning over that course and distance to be second to Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper) in the May 8 G2 Prix Greffulhe. His prolific stablemate Soleil Marin (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) advertised his ability when taking the G3 Prix Noailles over this track and trip on Apr. 16 and Fabre said of him, “Soleil Marin has come on since his win in the Prix Noailles. He comes into the race in good form and he is ready to run up to his best.”
Darpat France SARL's Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper) came forward from conditions successes at Fontainebleau on Mar. 9 and at Saint-Cloud on Apr. 2 when returning to the latter venue to comprehensively outpoint Waldgeist. Trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias told Jour de Galop, “He is a colt who always showed me quality and his great asset is his turn of foot. He is a well-balanced colt and the downhill should not bother him. He is a son of Whipper, who has a reputation of getting horses that prefer it soft, but he takes more after his damsire Fairy King. Watching him gallop the other morning on good ground, I don't think heavy ground would benefit him. He doesn't have that action.”
From outside France, Andrew Rosen, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's War Decree (War Front) is of obvious interest under Ryan Moore, but he has to bounce back from a below-par reintroduction when sixth in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket on Apr. 20. His stablemate Orderofthegarter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) may boast the Ballydoyle bragging rights under regular partner Seamie Heffernan and he was a staying-on fifth in the Poulains. He has ground to make up on last year's G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Rivet, part-owned by Lester Piggott who rode the Jockey Club just once in 1972. His daughter Maureen Haggas, and wife of trainer William Haggas, said, “We are very pleased with him and he looks great. The way he won the Racing Post Trophy, Andrea [Atzeni] never pulled him up until the back straight and there is also stamina on the dam's side. He has been a great horse, and being a homebred it would be great for my father if he could win.” Charlie Appleby saddles a duo headed by Bay of Poets (Ire), a son of Lope de Vega who was second to Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Listed Dee S. at Chester on May 12. “Bay of Poets is very consistent and has been mixing it with English Derby contenders and running really well,” his trainer commented.
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