Etonnant in front of a solvable task

Enghien, Saturday, July 29th: The Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (7th race/4:58 p.m./150,000 euros/2875 m), which is part of Group 2, is the focus of the nine races today at the Hippodrome in Enghien.

Etonnant (Anthony Barrier) from the stable of owner trainer Richard Westerink, who recently led his protégé to victory here in the Prix de Washington (Group 2), is in good form and class. Possible opponents are Thierry Duvaldestin-trained Oracle Tile (Theo Duvaldestin), most recently third in the Prix Rene Balliere (Group 1) ahead of Elvis du Vallon (Yoann Lebourgeois). Eric The Eel (Franck Nivard) can also count on good chances. The seven-year-old won the Grand Prix du Conseil Municipal (Group 2) in Vichy in front of Elie de Beaufour (Jean-Michel Bazire), whose form curve is pointing upwards again.

Betting spectacle in Bad Harzburg

Bad Harzburg, Saturday, July 29th: On Saturday, a look at the races in Bad Harzburg is even more worthwhile than usual, because there is a lot on offer for the bettors in particular. There are eleven races between 10:50am and 5:30pm, with the first five stages also forming part of the PMU map in France.

In the Grand Prix of the Braunschweigische Landessparkasse - BBAG auction race (37,000 euros, 1,850 m), the mare Kamand (S. Mazur) takes a place of honor on group parquet. Mister Hollow (L. Delozier) showed many good performances. Switsch (E. Pedroza) doesn`t have to stop at last Saturday`s track win.

Two super handicaps, each with 17,500 euros in prize money over 1,850 meters, are real betting puzzles. In equalization III the game seems very open with 16 horses. Maybe Viviane (A. Starke) can do better. Agent Sim (T. Scardino) faces another success. The guaranteed payout in the four-way bet is an impressive 55,555 euros.

In the equalization II super handicap, there is much to be said for another coup by the Dutchman Soller Bay (M. Seidl), because the mare prevailed here last week. But the opponents are lining up, such as the Hamburg winner Gedöns (W. Panov). Here and in the 10th race (compensation IV, 1,550 m) 11,111 euros can be won in a four-way bet.

Mega race at Ascot

Ascot, Saturday 29 July: The King George Weekend at Ascot Racecourse is dominated today by the classic King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Race 5/4.40pm/£1.25m/2410m).

Last year`s winner Pyledriver (P. McDonald) from the stable of William Muir and Chris Grassick is doing the honors again. The six-year-old rehearsed here in the Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) and was victorious for today`s task. He faces Auguste Rodin (Ryan Moore), who once again underlined his dominance of the year after his triumph in the Irish Derby (Group 1). Two more recent winners are in line-up in King Of Steel (Kevin Stott) and Westover (Rob Hornby). The former comfortably won the King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) on site. The Beckett protégé clinched the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group 1) after losing to Emily Upjohn (Frankie Dettori) in the Coronation Cup (Group 1) but leaving Point Lonsdale (Adam Kirby) well behind. Another big name in the field is Luxembourg (Seamie Heffernan), who recently finished runner-up in the Prince of Wales Stakes (Group 1).