Prix de l'Abbaye Betting: Sole Power to give Deacon the blues

Tipping / Joe Szekeres / 29 September 2011 / Leave a Comment

Sole Power can get back to winning ways in the Prix de l'Abbaye

"Sole Power, on the other hand, will relish Sunday’s conditions and he is considered a good win and place selection..."

Longchamp hosts Europe's Championship Flat Meeting on Sunday, and the Prix de l'Abbaye is the highlight of the supporting card that accompanies the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe...

The Prix de l'Abbaye is a race that boasts an exclusive roll of honour, with the likes of Dayjur and the brilliant Lochsong having won this famous contest in years gone by.

As of 2009, the race became part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, with the winner now receiving an automatic invitation to compete in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint , and the contest itself ranks as one of the best sprint races anywhere in the World.

This season's renewal has a strong feel to it, with Moonlight Cloud, Marchand d'Or and Wizz Kid representing France, whilst the challenge from this side of the Channel is equally powerful, with Newmarket's Deacon Blues, Prohibit and Margot Did, and Ireland's Requinto and Sole Power, all set to line-up.

James Fanshawe's Deacon Blues (Timeform rated 130+) currently heads the market, available to back at [4.0], and he looks the one to beat having routed opponents over six furlongs in the Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown before a comfortable victory in the World Trophy at Newbury last time, when stepping down to the minimum trip for the first time in his career.

Deacon Blues travelled with his usual zest at Newbury and edged into contention on the bridle from over a furlong out before delivering a devastating turn of foot to put useful rivals to bed in a matter of strides. Five furlongs on quick ground on Sunday will be a new test, but everything so far has suggested that Deacon Blues has the ability to cope with such conditions.

The Nunthorpe Stakes looks to be the other biggest pointer in terms of clues for the Prix de l'Abbaye, with a number of this year's fancied horses having faced one another at York in August.

Michael Bell's Margot Did emerged victorious on that occasion, posting a Timeform rating of 122, with Prohibit back in third, whilst Wizz Kid and Requinto had to settle for fifth and thirteenth respectively.

There was a notable draw bias at York, however, favouring those who raced near side, and while Margot Did and Hamish McGonagall (122) pulled clear of the chasing pack, those who who raced towards the centre and, in particular, on the far side, were inconvenienced.

Robert Cowell's Prohibit (119) did best of those in the centre, finishing third, a length ahead of Rod Collet's Wizz Kid (122), who met more than her fair share of trouble in running, was drawn even further towards the far side and deserves great credit for getting as close as she did in a race that wasn't at all run to suit.

David Wachman's juvenile Requinto (110), it must be said, probably wasn't ready for such a test of speed against battle-hardened sprinters at that point, but he has since recorded a victory against his own age group in the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster.

Prohibit has also won since York, scoring his second victory of the season (and comprehensively reversing the York form with Hamish McGonagall) when landing the Prix du Petit Couvert . The King's Stand winner will surely be involved in the finish once again based on the level of consistency he has demonstrated all year and he currently trades at [6.0].

Others of interest include Sole Power and Moonlight Cloud, who are available to back at [20.0] and [6.0] respectively.

Edward Lynam's Sole Power (122) was the memorable winner of last season's Nunthorpe at odds of 100/1 but he has since proved that performance to have been no fluke by landing the Temple Stakes at Haydock in May this year and performing creditably in various other assignments. He seems to relish firmish ground over a sharp five furlongs, so conditions are likely to play to his strengths on Sunday, and he looks a very tempting price having simply not got home in the Sprint Cup over six furlongs last time.

Freddie Head's Moonlight Cloud (126) has got her career back on track of late having flopped when favourite for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in the spring.

Since dropped back from a mile, she has won twice including a four-length rout in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, where she defeated the likes of Society Rock (124) and Marchand d'Or (118) with ease. She is no doubt a filly of high quality, and class can get you a long way in these sprints, but whether five furlongs is quite her bag remains to be seen.

There are some quality entries at this stage and the most likely winner looks to be Deacon Blues, but his price more than reflects his chance and he doesn't appeal as terribly good value at this stage. Of the others, Wizz Kid arguably looks to be an interesting candidate given her luckless passage in the Nunthorpe but it may be the case that she prefers some cut in the ground. Sole Power , on the other hand, will relish Sunday's conditions, and he is considered a good win and place selection, given his price and the form he has shown over five furlongs on fast ground at the top level in the past.

Recommendation

Back Sole Power @ [20.0] to win and place in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp on Sunday

Timeform race cards for Arc day at Longchamp will be available later this week.