Prix Exbury opens the `Green Group` season

Saint-Cloud, Saturday, 18 March: Lots of Listed races and the Prix Exbury (5th race/15.50/80,000 Euro/2000m), the first Group race of the French season, mark the highlights of today`s event at Saint-Cloud.

The semi-classic for the older age groups will be enormously enhanced by Skalleti (Gerald Mosse). The millionaire, trained by Jerome Reynier, won the Prix Tantieme (Listed race) here on 17 November and the course is set for another triumph. Twelve months ago, he `only` finished third, but in the following Prix d`Harcourt (Group 2), the now eight-year-old was again a winner. Andre Fabres Kertez (Maxime Guyon) has the best chances. The gelding, who recently finished third in the Prix du Conseil de Paris (Group 2), won three races in a row here last year and ran second at List level. Surrey Mist (Ioritz Mendizabal), who won the Prix Vulacain (List race), and Virtual Rock (Cristian Demuro), who had two strong performances at Group level, complete the circle of favourites. German hopes are pinned on Craps (Stephane Pasquier), trained by Miroslav Rulec, who ran very well in Cagnes-sur-Mer this year. Flyingbeauty (Alexis Pouchin) exceeded expectations several times last season, she is the only mare in the field. For Haya Zark (Christophe Soumillon) last year ended early with a last place in the Prix Eugene Adam (Group 2). Like Bakhchisaray (Aurelien Lemaitre), who has run three times this year, he could provide the surprise.