Longchamp Betting Tips: We preview Thursday’s Group and Listed races
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There’s another high-class day of racing from France on Thursday, with no fewer than four black-type contests on a ten-race card from Longchamp.
Monday’s Parisian action provided upsets aplenty, with odds-on jollies Sottsass and Victor Ludorum both failing to justify favouritism. Those results had a significant impact on the betting for the French Classics.
But what can we expect from Thursday at Longchamp? We’ve looked at the four feature races, which you’ll also be able to watch live on Sky Sports Racing from 10:10am.
Six will go to post for this Listed race where Raabihah will take all the beating for Jean-Claude Rouget. The Sea The Stars filly caught the eye when winning comfortably on debut in January and looks an exciting prospect.
Her biggest danger looks to be Sea Change, who has hit the frame in each of her first two starts, while American Apples is also expected to lay down a challenge after finishing third in a Listed contest at Deauville.
Annalyse finished a close-up fourth that day and cannot be discounted for a place either. Dilala and the American Beach, who broke her maiden tag at the seventh attempt last time, seem unlikely to post a threat.
Andre Fabre has won the French Derby Trial a record-breaking eight times, including with Cloth of Stars in 2016. He saddles one runner this time around; Ocean Atlantique for the Magnier-Tabor-Smith partnership.
The American Pharaoh colt blitzed the field to win by 8l on her second career start and could be anything at this point. This is his seasonal reappearance and there’s every chance he’ll be open to further progression.
He’ll face significant challenges from Mkfancy, Pao Alto and Another Sky, the latter of whom has been talked up by our trader here. It’s the first of the trio – Mkfancy – who we think could lay down the biggest challenge.
Pia Brandt’s inmate was a Group 1 winning juvenile and produced a fine comeback run behind the highly impressive Waltham in March. If he can improve for that run here, then he should be on the premises.
It could end up being a straight-up battle between Emoji and Flighty Lady for the Prix Vanteaux. Our man in the know has taken an in-depth look at those two, which leaves us with some interesting outsiders.
Myriam Bollack-Badel’s Passefontaine looks to be the most intriguing. The Wootton Bassett filly finished a ½l second to the unbeaten Bebeautiful in a Listed contest in only her second career start at Deauville in March.
Further improvement here would likely see her hit the frame, while Galova, who has finished out of the places just once in seven starts and has run consistently well regardless of conditions, could also pose a danger.
That man Fabre has farmed this 7f Listed contest in recent years, saddling each of the last three winners. It could be worthwhile paying attention to his principal hopeful Arapaho this time around, then.
Pierre-Charles Boudot’s mount was unbeaten in her first two starts prior to finishing runner-up in Listed company at Deauville last August in a race she may have won had it not been for a hampered start.
She’ll go off as favourite for this ahead of Sujet Libre, who was third in a Group 3 last time and Megeva, whose finishes behind Dream And Do in 2019 look better for the winner’s subsequent second in the Prix De La Grotte.
Sky Power and Golden Boy also hold chances – the latter has also placed in Group 3 – while Tibasti goes up in trip but does have the eye-catching booking of Christophe Soumillion.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
