G1 Prix Saint Alary | Horse Racing Free Tips

The G1 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary will be run two weeks earlier on Sunday, May 14, in an effort to increase its exposure and maintain its Group 1 status, France-Galop revealed on Thursday.

The scheduling update was originally disclosed when 25 black-type races were cut by the European Pattern Committee on Wednesday, but it has now been announced that the race is under scrutiny to be downgraded by the EPC in 2024 if its field quality does not improve. A rating of 110 is required to maintain its Group 1 status, but the past three renewals have averaged just 108.9. France Galop's reasons for moving the date are as follows:

By running it five weeks before the G1 Prix de Diane Longines, it reinforces its ambition to become a major prep race for the fillies' Classic.
It will gain more exposure by being included on a card that already features two Classic races, the G1 French 1000 and G1 French 2000 Guineas.
The two extra weeks between the Prix Saint-Alary and the June 18 Prix de Diane at Chantilly will allow it to become a major prep race for the fillies' Classic and hence secure the rating of the Saint-Alary, whose Group 1 status is currently under threat.

In 2016 and 2017, the Saint-Alary was held at Deauville on the Poules d'Essai card when ParisLongchamp was being renovated, and both editions met the 110 minimum rating–111.3 in 2016 and 111 a year later. Trial races for the newly scheduled race include the 1800-metre G3 Prix Vanteaux at ParisLongchamp on Apr. 9, and two races at Saint-Cloud in April–the G3 Prix Penelope over 2100 metres on Apr. 1 and the G3 Prix Cleopatre going that same trip on Apr. 21.

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Europe’s press to regain some sense of equilibrium shows no sign of abating on Sunday, when Chantilly’s G1 Prix Ganay heads a bonanza of action across all five of the major racing nations of the continent. White Birch Farm’s G1 Prix du Jockey-Club hero and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) simply has to reverse the form of the G2 Prix d’Harcourt to claim the 10 1/2-furlong highlight, having trailed the re-opposing Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal), Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Simona (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in that ParisLongchamp reintroduction May 11.

Chantilly also plays host to the G1 Saxon Warrior Coolmore Prix Saint Alary, where another Rouget representative is at the forefront. Shadwell’s unbeaten Tawkeel (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) goes straight to the top level from non-black-type events along with the Wertheimers’ well-regarded May 18 course-and-distance maiden winner Solsticia (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}). She beat the subsequent G3 Prix de Royaumont scorer Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) by three lengths in that contest and is a fascinating runner for Andre Fabre alongside the returning G3 Prix d’Aumale winner Savarin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Also in the line-up is Roy Jackson’s recent acquisition Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) who captured the nine-furlong G3 Prix Vanteaux at ParisLongchamp May 14.

George Strawbridge’s star stayer Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) reappears in the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, with Freddy Head opting to stay at home for now rather than commit to a clash with Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) at Royal Ascot. He is re-opposed by old rival Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger), who he beat last time in Deauville’s G3 Prix de Barbeville over this 15-furlong trip May 24.

At Goodwood, the Listed Cocked Hat S. over an extended 11 furlongs sees Khalid Abdullah’s TDN Rising Star Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) look to advertise Derby claims for the Hugo Palmer stable. Like his famed half-brother Workforce (GB) (King’s Best), the homebred has one piece of impressive juvenile winning form behind him after his debut at Wolverhampton in October but he faces three others who are unexposed with much promise. They include Cheveley Park Stud’s Celestran (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a John Gosden-trained son of the talented Starscope (GB) (Selkirk) who has a fitness edge having won a Yarmouth handicap 11 days ago.

At Cologne, the G2 Sparkasse Kolnbonn Union Rennen looks at the mercy of Stall Wasserfreunde’s sensation Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}), who is taken on again by Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who he beat in the May 8 G3 Cologne Classic.

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