Alter Adler in the Prix d`Harcourt

Longchamp, Sunday, 9 April: The first Group 2 race of the new French season will be held today in Longchamp with the Prix d`Harcourt (6th race/17.00/130,000 Euro/2000 m).

The only foreign guest in the seven-strong field is Alter Adler (Ryan Moore), trained by Waldemar Hickst for the Nice stable. The five-year-old, who won last year in Baden-Baden, will meet exquisite competition such as the `Arc` fourth-placed Al Hakeem (Cristian Demuro) for whom Jean-Claude Rouget is just as responsible as for Calgary (Coralie Pacaut), who disappointed here two years ago as favourite to finish sixth. Simca Mille (Alexis Pouchin) won its last race in this place at Group 2 level. In the Japan Cup (Group 1) he only finished fourth last. Iresine (Marie Velon) crowned last season by winning the Prix Royal-Oak (Group 1), before that he was unbeatable in the Prix Foy (Group 2). Haya Zark (Christophe Soumillon) deserves a mention as the winner of the Prix Exbury (Group 3) over Kertez (Bauyrzhan Murzabayev).