French Guineas in Longchamp

Longchamp, Sunday, May 14: The eyes turn to France today, more precisely to Longchamp, where two classics for the Derby year are in focus.


Stallions will contest the Poule d`Essai des Poulains (5th race/15.50pm/650,000 euros/1600m). American Flag (Christophe Soumillon) made an excellent impression here in winning the Prix de Fontainebleau (Group 3) over Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Mickael Barzalona). Also in the Prix Omnium II on list level the Barberot protégé won superiorly in front of Kendly (Oisin Murphy). Jean-Claude Rouget`s Valimi (Cristiam Demuro) is rated hardly weaker. The Aga Khan representative won recently without having to go to his limits. He gets support from Kubrick (Ioritz Mendizabal). He finished fourth in the Prix Djebel (Group 3) behind Good Guess (Stephane Pasquier) and Breizh Sky (Maxime Guyon), who are battling for victory. From the island, Isaac Shelby (Sean Levey), Hans Andersen (Ryan Moore) and Knight (James Doyle) register first chances.


In the Poule d`Essai des Pouliches (6th race/16:30/550,000 euros/1600 m) ten mares will start. Here Blue Rose Cen (Aurelien Lemaitre) and Never Ending Story (Ryan Moore) are highly traded, who already met on `Arc` day in the Critérium Pouliches (Group 1), with the former superiorly ahead while the O`Brien mare struggled for places. Currently, Blue Rose Cen won the Prix de la Grotte (Group 3) against Lindy (Cristian Demuro), also in commanding fashion. Quickstep (Mickael Barzalona) and Sauterne (Tony Piccone) are other fresh winners with claim to the front places. Showay (Anthony Crastus) and Ritournelle (Gerald Mosse) surprised in the Prix Imprudence (Group 3). Swingalong (Tom Marquand) travels with good forms from England.