Le 14 juillet at Longchamp

Today is the biggest holiday of the year in France, and Longchamp, which exceptionally races in the evening, has a first class card headed by the Group One Grand Prix de Paris fo3 3yo´s over 2400 metres at 20.20 CET. How that the Prix du Jockey Club is run oiver a much shorter distance, this is almost in effect the French Derby, and Aidan O´Brien, who has had such an amazing run if success in classic races this season (including yesterday) saddles 3 runners, with stable jockey Johnny Murtagh partnering Alessandro Volta. This one blotted his copybook badly when swerving all over the track in the Irish Derby 3 weeks ago, but if he keeps straight, has an obvious chance to give the stable their 14th Group One success of the season. André Fabre and Alain de Royer-Dupré each saddle two runners, and Prospect Wells (Olivier Peslier) and Montmartre (Christophe Soumillon) are respectively their main hopes and probably the best chances of a French victory. Doctor Fremantle (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore), 4th at Epsom, is a big danger to all. Main supporting feature is the Group Two Prix Maurice de Nieuil for older horses over 2600 metres at 19.45, where there is a very strong German challenge. First Stream (Mario Hofer/ Christophe Lemaire), Brisant (Michael Trybuhl/ William Mongil), Caudillo (Dr. Bolte/ Jean-Pierre Cavalho) and Poseidon Adventure (Wolfgang Figge/ Dominique Boeuf) are all trained in Germany, while Avantia Polonia (Davy Bonilla) is now with the in-form Freddie Head and Noble Prince (André Fabre/ Stephane Pasquier) is also German-bred.