All eyes will be on Deauville on Sunday afternoon as the Prix Jacques le Marois takes centre stage, live on Sky Sports Racing.
3.04 Deauville – Charyn and Inspiral clash in top-class Marois
A cracking field has assembled for the French summer highlight – the Group One Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois – headlined by dual winner Inspiral.
John and Thady Gosden’s stable star is a six-time Group One winner, including claiming the last two renewals of this race, but arrives with a point to prove. Following lacklustre defeats in the Lockinge and Prince Of Wales’s Stakes this season, she will hope to bounce back with the return to a mile a big plus.
Roger Varian saddles Queen Anne Stakes winner Charyn who recorded a deserved top-level success at the Royal meeting and could prove hard to beat if in the same mood again.
Of the others, the unbeaten Quddwah is a fascinating contender as he steps up in grade for the Simon and Ed Crisford team, while Richard Hannon’s Jersey Stakes winner Haatem looks the pick of the three-year-olds.
3.10 Ripon – Lesley’s Boy and Easy Peeler headline hot nursery
Easy Peeler built on her debut second over this course and six-furlong distance to score with a bit in hand at Catterick last month and a bold bid can be expected on his handicap debut under Jason Hart in the Paula Budge Surprise Birthday Nursery.
Lesley’s Boy will top the weights for the Richard Fahey yard and is another who stepped up on his first start when landing a Wetherby maiden back in June and must be feared off an opening mark of 77.
Art Design needs a mention after his solid third in a warm event at Newmarket last weekend.
1.33 Deauville – Feed The Flame and Al Hakeem star
Al Hakeem returned from over a year off to finish an encouraging second behind Calif at ParisLongchamp back in June and, providing he taken a step forward since, he should be in the mix again in the Group Three Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Pascal Bary’s Feed The Flame is a mainstay in the top mile-and-a-half events over in France and his trainer drops him in class as he bids for a first success of the season after his excellent second in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Elusive Princess has her second start since returning to the care of Jean-Pierre Dubois having switched to the US after her three-year-old campaign.
Best of the rest
Houquetot puts his 100 per cent record on the line in the Group Three Prix Francois Boutin at 12.58, joining debut winners Scandalo and Hot Cash at the post for what looks a really tasty contest. Deauville is also the venue for an eyecatching Listed contest featuring representation from the Gosden yard and Godolphin. At 4.14 the Carlo Ancelotti-owned Gala Real makes his reappearance, up against Hollie Doyle and Comic Book.
Stateside takes centre stage in the evening, with Ancient Rome and Nations Pride headlining the Grade One Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. Rearranged from last Saturday, the Saratoga Derby goes ahead at 11.49 featuring Legend Of Time for Charlie Appleby.
Sunday’s racecards | Latest Sky Bet odds
Watch every race from Ripon and Deauville live on Sky Sports Racing.
