German runners in France today

The flat season is almost over in France, but we have a strong card today at Maisons-Laffitte with 3 group races, two of them with German participants. In our view Mario Hofer´s Noble Alpha (Maxime Guyon) has the better chance; he missed last Sunday´s Group One event to go for this easier race, the Criterium de Maison-Laffitte for 2yo´s over 1200 metres at 14.35. Noble Alpha ran an excellent race to be second at Baden-Baden to Hearts of Fire (Group One winner since) and was then very unluckily beaten in the Preis des Winterfavoriten.

German runners have won the last two renewals and we expect Noble Alpha to complete the hat-trick. The main dangers are British raider Our Jonathan (Kevin Ryan/ Jamie Spencer) with Sorciere (Carlos and Yann Lerner) the best of the locals. Werner Baltromei has booked Lerner, very successful on German horses in recent weeks, to partner his Etoile Nocturne in the Prix de Seine-et-Oise over 1200 metres at 14.05, and she also has a chance, especially with the ground in her favour. However this is a very open race with several possible winners. The other group race is the Prix Miesque for 2yo fillies at 14.05; however this looks a sub-standard affair with no foreign runners. Irish Cat (Robert Collet/ Franck Blondel) is the possible favourite.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Benrish - Orife - Madiba
2. Race: Aristote - Sapfo - Yankee Star
3. Race: Heaven`S Heart - Absolute Music - Elisheba
4. Race: Sorciere - Noble Alpha - Dolled Up
5. Race: Dunkerque - Tiza - Etoile Nocturne
6. Race: Baine - My Lovely Girl - Touch Of Class Ess
7. Race: Anabasis - Question d`Or - Dunaden
8. Race: Tuning Mozart - Miss Denmark - Antigone
9. Race: Romain des Vignes - Ciboney Moon - Shine For Me