Parol faces difficult course

Longchamp, Thursday, 21 April: The Prix Jacques Laffitte (7th race/17.20 h/52,000 Euro/1800 m) promises an exciting outcome today in Longchamp. The Listed race is aimed at four- and five-year-old stallions/geldings.

German hopes rest on Parol (Clement Lecoeuvre), trained by Bohumil Nedorostek. In Dortmund, the five-year-old became a serial winner this year, then he won in Chantilly and most recently, the Pastorius son only just missed the next score in Saint-Cloud. Jean-Claude Rouget saddled two promising horses, Wally (Cristian Demuro) and Makaloun (Christophe Soumillon). The latter has not competed since his ninth place in the French Derby, his training companion did not finish higher than second last in the Prix Edmond Blanc (Group 3). In Crowd (Olivier Peslier) finally scored another victory after three List honours in a row. On the track in Compiegne, the Head protégé won as expected, as did the Fabre five-year-old Salesman (Maxime Guyon) in a handicap on the same day. Bellharbour Music (Ioritz Mendizabal), who has run twice on the List circuit this year, is expected to be in the lead, judging by his victory in the Prix Daphnis (Group 3), ahead of Djo Francais (Mickael Barzalona).