There is no doubt that the Flat is back on Sunday, with the action at Leopardstown and ParisLongchamp featuring several Classic contenders jostling for position. In the G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1000 Guineas Trial at the Foxrock venue, Coolmore hold a strong hand with last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) saddled with just a three-pound penalty despite those exploits. Ryan Moore has picked her over Aidan O'Brien's promising maiden winners Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with their illustrious pedigrees suggesting there could be plenty to come as 2021 rolls on. Joan Brosnan's Loch Lein (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was impressive when winning a six-furlong maiden at Cork in September and represents the Jessie Harrington yard, while Shadwell's Mehnah (GB) (Frankel {GB}) looked a filly with a bright future when scoring on her debut over seven furlongs at Dundalk in September.
While the Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. lacks the same strength as the fillies' version, there is nevertheless intrigue with a clutch of aspiring Classic protagonists attempting to meet the form standard of Shadwell's G2 Beresford S. runner-up Monaasib (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) and Jim Bolger's G3 Killavullan S. scorer Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). Of the Ballydoyle trio, Ryan Moore has opted to ride the Mar. 21 Curragh maiden scorer Horoscope (Ire) (No Nay Never) while in the 10-furlong G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. he is on Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was fifth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October. Another of Rosegreen's Derby types is the Dundalk maiden winner Lough Derg (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while the Harrington stable puts forward Fiona Carmichael's Naas maiden scorer Taipan (Fr) (Frankel {GB}). There is also the G3 Eyrefield S. first and second Flying Visit (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) and Wuqood (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with the latter carrying TDN Rising Star status for Shadwell and Dermot Weld.
At ParisLongchamp, the 10-furlong G2 Prix d'Harcourt boasts Jean-Claude Seroul's high-class Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) bidding for a seventh Pattern-race success as he meets Jean-Louis Bouchard's returning G2 Prix Greffulhe winner and G1 Grand Prix de Paris third and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe fourth Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}). The card's nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force sees G1 Prix du Jockey Club hopefuls go to post including Godolphin's Erasmo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who captured Chantilly's seven-furlong Listed Prix Saraca in October, while in the G3 Prix Vanteaux over the same trip the cast of fillies is headed by Miguel Castro Megias's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G3 Prix Francois Boutin winner Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}). Only second in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix la Camargo Mar. 21, she faces Juddmonte's exciting Petricor (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who won her sole start over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville in August when the Camargo winner Sweet Lady (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was last. In the G3 Prix Noailles over the Jockey Club trip of 10 1/2 furlongs, Bernard Giraudon's progressive Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) looks to re-establish his dominance over another Juddmonte representative in Media Stream (GB) (Frankel {GB}) with the pair separated by seven lengths when first and third in the Listed Prix Francois Mathet at Saint-Cloud Mar. 21.
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