Prix jaques le marois

I backed Ribchester last time, after seeing how the race unfolded I thought there was a good chance he could've won off a stronger pace. After looking at the sectionals that view was enforced and I'm confident he would've won even if only narrowly. Regardless if he would've won or not it's obvious to me he would've at least turned around the short head he was beaten by Galileo Gold. However, this race is in France, where crawl and sprint is the fashion and there has to be a possibility we could get another moderate early pace. What can Buick do if Dettori ends up getting his won way out in front again? Absolutely nothing as far as I can see as Ribchester is a horse that is always likely to be held up. It looks as though they're running in the hope that we don't get a repeat of Goodwood, which is very poor planning in my view. That and the fact I'm getting a lot less than the 12/1 I had last time puts me off going in large here so no bet as yet, I'll probably wait to see how the race starts and look at the in running.

*own way

Small bet on vadamos @ 13/2.

There will be support for Ribchester after his sterling effort in the Sussex Stakes. If there is a decent pace, and the present good going prevails on race day, I think Galileo Gold will most likely come up on top again provided the hard campaign so far has not taken its toll. Otherwise, Frankie might have to take the bull by the horns again and kick on hoping for the best.

Hoping Galileo Gold can win this time but a front runner is always vulnerable over a mile (apart from Frankel)

for me the sussex concerned many horses who got perfect trips...

galileo gold certainly got it easy on the easy lead that day setting easy fractions for 3 furlongs before being allowed to quicken it up at his own pace, the first 5 getting a perfect trip in behind him round the rail which was the place to be...the gurkha certainly got a perfect trip and i actually thought ribchester probably benefiting by the fractions that were set and he nicely dropped the bit before getting involved late when the race was over as did gabrial as his his want, toormore sets the standard and in all fairness he is a fair stick round goodwood so the form is solid at its level for me

i am still pondering a play here as feel there is an angle, i feel the front 2 here are plenty short enough but rightly so in the context of this race, however it doesn't mean we can't find a play...this track is run on the straight track so we may get pace and arod and galileo gold appear to only have one run style in all fairness, arod has first time headgear so he may get loose on the front as is his want and that must be the angle with him here, i see no reason why galileo gold won't do the same so we may geta true run race, they are the only pace in the race

Interesting to read Moore's comments on this race and referring to the Sussex Stakes. He says he thought Ribchester was outpaced when he needed to be quick and was possibly flattered. Strange as Ribchester ran each of the last four furlongs quicker than the winner. Either he takes no notice of available sectional times or he thinks Ribchester was outpaced between the 5f and 4f markers, which is an unusual way of analysing a race.

I think Moore has a point as I remember a few here were inferring the same with The Gurkha in the St James's Palace Stakes.

I'm surprised Hugo Palmer has not engaged a pacesetter for this race post the Sussex. Maybe the saying "a lesson learnt is a lesson earned" does not apply to horse racing.

I think Moore has a point as I remember a few here were inferring the same with The Gurkha in the St James's Palace Stakes.

No, many were saying The Gurkha could turn the form around with Galileo Gold as he ran the latter stages quicker, as Ribchester did at Goodwood.

Figgis

Sorry, I did not mean that The Gurkha (TG) could not turn the SJP form around with Galileo Gold (GG) - I meant some here were inferring TG was unable to go the early pace set by Cymric (the pacesetter) with GG sat just behind.

Galileo Gold will most likely run flat at some stage and I think this is a prime scenario where he might. Two weeks after doing the donkey work in the Sussex plus travelling over to France. If he wins then he is a tough bugger and all the plaudits to the trainer and horse!

I backed Ribchester last time too and see no reason why not to give him the benefit of the doubt with regards stamina/speed or whatever way someone wants to view it. His Jersey win under a penalty was still very impressive. At 11/4 he's a win bet for me.

It would be nice to see Ervedya to show something like her form from last season. She's 10/1 with Korral which is fairly big. However, Rib for me.

I'm off to Deauville on Sunday but this race has me a little baffled. The two older fillies Erveyda and Esoterique have goodish though fragile form. Erveyda has been beaten twice in Gr1's at Deauville whereas Esoterique has won two Gr1's there and this could be her time of the year.
Erveyda's Found form is held down by Lucida and her French Guineas form is not great.

Esoterique beat Integral and Territories in her two Gr1's last season and that form hasn't really been franked but her other 2 runs in the US on false ground and a good 4th in Hong Kong is pretty solid. She was slow to come to hand last season before winning this race beating the 2000 Guineas 2nd, Territories, easily. Fabre said before her last run that she had had a hurried prep this season and was just coming to hand and that is what it looked like.

This year's 2000 Guineas form I just don't like. The 2nd, 4th and 5th have done it no favours and the older horses the 3 year olds have beaten so far this season are very beatable including Toormore, Gabrial, Time Test and Countermeasure to name a few.
I think Galileo Gold needs a stiff mile to grind out and with a stiff finish to be seen at his best and will be out sprinted on a flat straight track and Ribchester I think is a 7 furlong horse so that may just suit him. I just struggle to see him as a Gr1 horse. 

All in all it's pretty confusing. But something has to win it.

With little confidence, and only a small bet, I'm going for Esoterique. I thought she was a banker in the Moulin last season and she looks like she is running into form. She has good Deauville form and, looking at the form, she has beaten Toormore in this race last year, and in Hong Kong, by the same distance as he was beaten in the Sussex by The Gurkha, which was run on faster ground than he likes, and I think she had more in hand over Toormore than the two horses that beat him in the Sussex had. I fear Erveyda.

Good luck all.

Marois not Moulin.

3yo milers look poor to me this year. The home team look weak (no Zelzal?) but nevertheless I will look for the older fillies to find their form.

I also think Arod could run well. He's as big as 28/1. Vadamos as big as 8/1. Not so sure he will be that price tomorrow. He goes of at 11/2...Esoterique 9/1 and Arod 16/1.

The two English 3 year old runners deserve to head the market and are hard to split, but from a purely value perspective I've backed the French 3 year old Dicton at 28.

Esoterique was awesome in this last year but has been out of form and prefers softer going. Ervedya prefers a bend.

Vadamos seems to be a horse who romps home in lesser company but falls in a hole when moved up to the top grade.

I've had a few quid eachway on Stormy Antarctic too at 20/1.

Dicton out to 50 on here so have had to top up.

Decided that 11/4 on the day is too big to miss on Ribchester so I've backed him. The two British 3yo colts may not be quite the highest class but the pair of them have run quicker than the older horses so it's difficult to see their elders being able to give them 6lbs unless it's a very slow race. I have nothing between Galileo Gold and Ribchester on their Guineas and Jersey form respectively but believe Ribchester was compromised last time by the run of the race and if both horses are in that form Ribchester should gain revenge if we get a decent pace today.

* Or even the older fillies being able to give away 3lbs.

I prefer Galileo Gold to Ribchester on the straight mile. I have some doubts about GG after quite a tough campaign and a hard race at Goodwood. I just can't see Ribchester staying a truly run mile well enough to win a group 1. I'd love to see Fahey win a big one as I think he's a top class operator but I can see him fading out of it and being well beaten. If GG runs his race I'm confident he'll win.

Ervedya for me.

Rouget could have run Zelzal in this, winner of the 1 mile Prix Jean Prat last time under hands and heels. Or Qemah, an impressive winner of a red-hot Prix Rothschild 2 weeks ago over course and distance.

Perversely. the owners of those 2 horses, Al Shaqab Racing, choose to run Galileo Gold in this. So that horse warrants a saver.

well this is yet another incredibly tough group 1 in which to have confidence in what you are betting...

galileo gold ran his heart out at goodwood and is thoroughly likeable type who always seems to run his race, he will have to be tough to back that effort up but they did go just slow early that day, so it wasn't a complete slog, he may be able to do it but i'm keen to get him here and also think he is slightly better with some cut in the ground, the same in regards ground applies to ribchester in my book until they both prove me otherwise...today will tell us more

i like the progressive ribchester who despite what people say in my opinion had a perfect trip at goodwood but couldn't live with the front 2 when they quickened and just picked them up when they were slowing in the last half furlong, he has his chance again but i'm just not sure how good he is and we are being required to take a price about him here, he wouldn't surprise me if he were to win

anyway i just have to get away from the pair of them... vadamos continues to improve after being a campaigned as a stayer in the early part of his career he has certainly improved since coming down in trip and i'm surprised we are getting 8/1 here, he has one blot on his copy book when failing to handle heavy ground against the top class **** horse, i like him and have had a few pounds

i have had a little on ervedya a horse i know sint likes just because they never put her in the race last time and this ground should be more to her like

i have also backed the simcock horse, the horse was compromised at goodwood stuck out wide from a poor draw, also not suited by how the race was run early in the race or the actual track, he was caught out wide and was just never able to run, picking up late when the race was over he rates the value here at 16/1 and i liked before this run i suppose this just shows where i'm at with the milers running this season

anyway i'm happy to couple the 3 witha little cherry on top for the simcock horse

tricky race

WD Figgis and other Ribchester backers. Very smooth win.

vwd winners yes nice progressive horse who is really maturing now

Cheers Howellsy. Obviously I'm happy with the win today but still got mixed emotions because of the chance missed last time. My best bets have often been when I've disagreed with most other speed figure compilers and it seemed the Jersey performance was underrated by most. Fairly confident double figure price bets in Gp1s are much much harder to come by for me nowadays than years ago so even though slowly run races are always a possibility it was very annoying last time. The cat was out of the bag after the Sussex, although I suppose it was still a bit surprising he wasn't more strongly fancied today with him running the last 3 furlongs quicker than GG and only getting beat a short head and the split times being in the public domain.

WD backers.

once it was clear he wasn't going to win GG was given a very leisurely ride

Figgis, I had the Jersey down as a monster performance but assumed he couldn't be as good at a mile. Goodwood was a not especially subtle clue that I stubbornly misinterpreted. Be nice to see him against The Gurkha but doubt we'll see the latter again.

Sweet

WD Figgis you worked it out and stuck with it. Hope you nailed it good. I think these poorly contested Group 1's are what we must get used to. Four of the first 5 home hadn't won a Group 1 and I'm not convinced any of them will do so again. I thought the course wouldn't suit Galileo Gold and would suit the winner but I never backed it. I haven't seen the race again but it looked like they didn't go that fast early on the quickened it up and I think the going didn't necessarily suit the two older fillies but I'm not sure they will get another weak opportunity. I also think if GG and Rib meet again in the QE11 with the stiffer mile and the slower ground I think the form will be reversed but that is for the future. Well done.

Ta, brigust.