G1 Prix d'Ispahan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Arc Hero Torquator Tasso Returns At Baden-Baden

The last time the Baden-Baden faithful had an eyeful of Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), the Gestut Auenquelle flagbearer was upstaging the G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) in the picturesque venue's flagship G1 Grosser Preis von Baden. While that was notable enough at the time, what came next as he marauded among the more tantalising reputations assembled for the Arc assured him legendary status in the nation that had been forced to wait nearly half a century for Star Appeal's follow-up act. Racing proved there it is no respecter of rank and so it is here in Sunday's G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft as the Marcel Weiss-trained 5-year-old starts all over again. Winning the Arc ensures a certain aura, but it does not confer mythical powers and the combination of a four-pound penalty and potential rustiness means there is not as much between him and one or two of these including Stall Nizza's Deutsches Derby runner-up Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}).

The Way Back

At ParisLongchamp, France's very own version of Torquator Tasso, Le Haras de la Gousserie and Guy Pariente's Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), runs in the feature G1 Prix d'Ispahan which probably because of its proximity to Royal Ascot has failed to draw the strength in depth expected of a top-level contest staged here. First advertising his wares when a surprise fifth in the German raider's Arc, the chestnut embarked upon Ascot to top that effort by carrying off the centrepiece G1 QIPCO Champion S. but it is safe to say that things have not been straightforward since. Beaten in three subsequent efforts, he has ground to make up on the re-opposing Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}), who had him a place behind when runner-up in the G1 Prix Ganay here at the start of the month.

All In Place

Ballylinch Stud have already had a big week thanks to Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and the Co. Kilkenny establishment could cap it with the Andre Fabre-trained Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the G1 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary. Owned in equal partnership with Al Shaqab Racing, the impressive Apr. 22 G3 Prix Cleopatre winner faces unknown quantities in the May 4 Listed Cheshire Oaks runner-up Above the Curve (American Pharoah) and Ecurie Melanie's unbeaten Rouget project Sippinsoda (Fr) (War Front). She misses a date with Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) after that 1000 Guineas runner-up was forced to turn back due to heavy delays at the English Port of Dover. In a fascinating G3 Prix du Palais-Royal, Jean-Claude Seroul's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) is tackled by Everest Racing, Barbara Keller and David Redvers's Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) who seeks to bury the memory of a deflating effort when down the field in the 1000 Guineas at the start of the month.

Click here for the group fields.

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Dreamloper To Face Males In Prix D’Ispahan

G2 Dahlia S. heroine Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) will try her luck against males in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, according to trainer Ed Walker. A winner of the G3 Valiant S. last July and third in the G1 Sun Chariot S. later that year, the bay mare clawed out a nose victory in the Dahlia S. at Newmarket on May 1. After her visit to France, the J. Fill colourbearer has an engagement in the June 26 G1 Pretty Polly S.

“The plan is to go for the Prix d'Ispahan on Sunday, she's in very good form and she came out of the Newmarket race well,” Walker said. “It is a big ask to go and take on the colts in a Group 1, but it is a nice stepping stone between the Dahlia and the Pretty Polly.

“We've been very pleased with her and we were very happy with the Newmarket run, she saw it out well–we're looking forward to it.”

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Skalleti Takes The Prix d’Ispahan

He left it late, but Jean-Claude Seroul's Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) was in front where it mattered in Sunday's G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp. Positioned at the tail of the field early by Gerald Mosse, the 7-10 favourite needed every metre of the trip to reel in Tilsit (First Defence) and win on the bobber by a head as My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) finished a short neck behind in third. The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a non-runner.

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Big Clash At ParisLongchamp

Sunday's G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp sees two of France's big names Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) go head-to-head over the unique intermediate trip of nine furlongs 55 yards. While Skalleti has yet to strike at this exalted level despite holding the enviable tally of seven group-race wins, his compatriot has won one of the most prestigious of them all in Ascot's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in October. Disappointing so far this term, Al Asayl France's The Revenant could have been forgiven for his return third to Wally (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud Apr. 3 but there is no denying that he was below-par when subsequently fourth in the G2 Prix du Muguet over the same course and distance at the start of the month. Contrastingly, Skalleti has continued on his relentless quest to garner as many of his nation's pattern races as he can manage and comes here on the back of a defeat of the subsequent impressive G1 Prix Ganay winner Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in this venue's 10-furlong G2 Prix d'Harcourt Apr. 11.

Skalleti's trainer Jerome Reynier already has his eye on going one better than last year's second in the G1 Qipco Champion S. and said, “We felt running him in the Ganay a few weeks after the d'Harcourt was probably too much, so we've been kind on him and decided we'd go straight to the d'Ispahan with a bit of freshness. The distance is on the short side and the ground will be on the firm side for him, but we can't really expect much softer ground at this time of the year. The race that would have been best for him is the [G1] Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, but logistically it was impossible to travel the horse to Ireland with the staff and everything, so we decided we'd stay at home and we're hoping for the best on Sunday. His target for 2021 is definitely the Champion Stakes–we'll try to get our revenge on Addeybb.”

Francis-Henri Graffard said of The Revenant, “He's in good shape. Nine furlongs is a step up in trip for him and hopefully it does not dry too much–I hope the ground will not be too firm for him. The softer the better for him, so we'll see. He's in very good form and very happy. The [G1] Queen Anne [at Royal Ascot June 15] is an option if the ground is suitable.”

Away from the main pair, TDN Rising Star Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) is impossible to rule out of the equation given that he is a G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner who was set some stiff tasks in 2020. Third on his comeback in the Muguet, Godolphin's classy performer could benefit from the step up from a mile but will certainly strip fitter for his reintroduction according to the operation's Lisa-Jane Graffard. “Victor Ludorum very much needed his run in the Prix du Muguet and came on for his first appearance of the year,” she said. “It's not impossible that he may need this run as well and could improve again for it. He won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on soft ground, but we feel that a horse with his turn of foot is better suited to quicker conditions as he showed in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. If the ground is holding, it could be a slight question mark for him, but he is in good form.”

Interestingly, the Muguet winner Duhail (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is asked to race under a penalty dropping back for the seven-furlong G3 Prix du Palais-Royal on the same card. Apparently G1 Sussex S.-bound, Al Shaqab Racing's improving 5-year-old has shown abundant speed in the past and will have no problem with this shorter trip. A taller order will be whether the Andre Fabre trainee can give four pounds to Jean-Claude Seroul's Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) who is on a streak having made Chantilly's Listed Prix Servanne his fourth straight win and fifth in his last six over six furlongs last time Apr. 26. Duhail also has seven pounds to concede to Rashit Shaykhutdinov's 2020 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was last seen winning over this course and distance in the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr in October.

Dusseldorf host the G2 German 1000 Guineas, where Godolphin's Sky Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) bids to take the prize back to France for the Henri-Alex Pantall stable. Runner-up in the G3 Prix Imprudence over seven furlongs on her return at Deauville Apr. 8, she was fourth tackling this mile in the Listed Prix des Lilas at Chantilly May 11. “Sky Angel ran very well in the Prix Imprudence and her latest performance looks another good effort, with the winner that day having previously beaten this year's Pouliches scorer Coeursamba,” Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard commented. Of the home team, Gestut Auenquelle's Reine d'Amour (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is a key protagonist on her success in Baden-Baden's G3 Zukunftsrennen in September and defeat of Gestut Brummerhof's Libre (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the course-and-distance Listed Henkel-Stutenpreis May 8. Others in the mix are the May 2 G3 Karin Baronin von Ullmann Schwarzgold-Rennen one-two Belcarra (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) and Wismar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). The G2 Grosser Aengevelt Immobilien-Preis Badener Meile sees the return of Sabine Goldberg's unbeaten G3 Prix Perth scorer Jin Jin (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) as she encounters last year's German 1000 Guineas heroine Lancade (GB) (Areion {Ger}) and co.

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