Longchamp Racing Tips: Bank on away wins in Group races

The first of the feature races is the Qatar Prix Chaudenay at 12:23, a stayers' race for three-year-olds.

The Brits have won three of the last four runnings but there is only one Union Jack flagbearer on Saturday.

Karl Burke saddles Al Qareem, 5.04/1 a winner of handicaps at Nottingham and Ascot in the spring that has progressed and was last seen at Glorious Goodwood where he was seventh to New London in a Leger trial over 12 furlongs.

I can't see why he is 5.04/1 or why he should be placed.

Duke de Sessa should be hard to beat if he stays

The Irish have not won the race in the last decade, but they've not had many runners.

They only have one this time - Dermot Weld's Duke de Sessa rated 110, up 4lb for winning the Paddy Power Stakes at Leopardstown over 12f on soft.

Although by the miler Lope de Vega, his dam's side has plenty of stamina and I don't think Weld would send him to France if he wasn't sure his youngster would get the trip on such soft ground.

The in-form filly La Mehana 3.55/2 would be the best of the French, having won the Listed Prix Michel Houyvet over a mile and six at Deauville by two and a half lengths from Sober 10.09/1.

Duke De Sessa will do for me, in a race that no horse longer than 7/1 has won in the last nine years.

Money for Sea La Rosa makes sense

From a handicapping point of view, Verry Elleegant should be a banker for the Qatar Prix De Royallieu at 13:33.

She has won over £8million in Australia, more than the rest of the field combined. She is also the only Group 1 winner in the line-up, and was third in an Arc trial over course and distance.

The seven-year-old is rated 4lb better than Sea La Rosa and Ryan Moore's mount Emily Dickinson. That pair are rated 3lb better than the rest.

Verry Elleegant 3.55/2 ticks all the boxes you would want ticked, yet all the money this week has been for Sea La Rosa 3.02/1.

There was a lot to like about the William Haggas filly when we last saw her in the Prix de Pomone, a Group 2 at Deauville in August. She got first run on Love Child 17.016/1 and Jannah Flower 12.011/1, and beat them three-quarters of a length.

On that run she is only a length or so behind Verry Elleegant, and she could come out on top in a head-to-head in the closing stages.

I doubt she has anything to fear from the O'Brien pair, Emily Dickinson 6.05/1 and Perotan 6.511/2. The former was a length back in third when beaten by Sea La Rosa in the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry on good to firm at Glorious Goodwood.
Perotan 6.05/1 is a lightly-raced improver who could be placed but is an unlikely winner.

An even less likely winner is David Menuisier's Ottilien 21.020/1. The Pulborough trainer won the race in 2020 with Wonderful Tonight, but that filly's form was stronger going into the race. For Ottilien to beat the likes of Verry Elleegant and Sea La Rosa would be quite a shock.

The Criterium Arqana at 14:50 is a £250,000 sales race for two-year-olds with 17 going to post. The three English-trained runners - Munch 5.04/1, Nammos 7.06/1 and Crackovia 17.016/1 - should finish in the first half of the field according to their best Racing Post ratings. Fozzy Stack's Papilio 8.07/1 is ranked no1 and Aidan O'Brien's Denmark 3.55/2 is fourth of the 17.

The bottom line is which is most likely to stay a mile on soft ground. Who knows? You couldn't rule any of them out going into the race.

I won't be betting but Papilio each-way makes sense, with Christophe Soumillon taking over from Jamie Spencer.

Quickthorn appeals in the Cadran

Kyprios is understandably a short price for the Qatar Prix du Cadran at 15:25. He is one of a few to have won over two miles, four, having won the Ascot Gold Cup from Mojo Star and Stradivarius

Aidan O'Brien's favourite ticks both the stamina and Group 1 winner boxes.

There are two other Irish runners - the 2020 winner of the race, Princess Zoe, and Lismore.

Back in April Princess Zoe held off the challenges of Quickthorn and Tashkhan in a Gold Cup trial at Ascot.

Quickthorn has held his form well since, winning here and in a fast time at York, where Tashkhan was 15 lengths back in fourth.

Tom Marquand's mount has not won a Group 1, and has not raced over the trip, but appeals if you are looking to oppose the favourite.

I was hoping he would be an each-way price but he is 4.03/1 overnight.

Anmaat can extend his winning run

The first and second in the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock in August meet again in the Group 2 Qatar Prix dollar at 16:00.

There's no reason why Grocer Jack should turn the tables on Anmaat, who won by four lengths. The winner doesn't have a penalty and should go in again.

Addeybb has won four Group 1s but his form this year is not within 10lb of those wins. He is eight, showing his age and would have been retired were he not a gelding.

The fourth English runner is the Crisfords' West Wind Blows 7.513/2. A winner of a Group 3 over course and distance last month, he is in better form than Addeybb 7.06/1.

Home team preferred in Prix Daniel Wildenstein

It is hard to make a case for any of the British or Irish runners in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at 16:35 over a mile.

On form, Raadobarg 26.025/1 and Checkandchallenge 8.515/2 would have each-way chances. Triple Time 5.04/1 and Glounthaune 17.016/1 would need to improve to be placed.

Best of the home squad would be the three-year-old Erevann 2.6213/8 and the more experienced The Revenant, 3.55/2 who won the race in 2019 and 2020 and only just missed out in a photo with Real World 12 months ago.

Erevann lost his unbeaten record when upped to Group 1 for the first time, coming third to the Newmarket raiders Inspiral and Light Infantry in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville in August.

He had several top performers behind him that day including Coroebus, Prosperous Voyage and Order Of Australia.

I would expect the outcome to be a French one-two, with Erevann coming out on top.