Prix du Cadran | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sun Chariot The Feature On Stellar Saturday

As October comes around again, so does one of the prime weekends of the European racing calendar and while Saturday's action is in part warm-up for the main event on Sunday, it has standout competition in its own right headed by the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. Newmarket's July Course was the scene of the first clash between the star miling fillies in the G1 Falmouth S. and now the Rowley Mile hosts the rematch between that July 9 feature's first and second Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).

Rockcliffe Stud's 'TDN Rising Star' Snow Lantern, who bids to emulate her dam Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) who captured this in 2013, has since been third in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood July 28 and fourth in the Sept. 5 G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

Trainer Richard Hannon said, “She has beaten a lot of them, if not all of them before. I think the straight track will suit her and we can ride her however we want. She hasn't got to cope with a bend. If she takes a pull, Sean [Levey] said he might just let her roll and use her a little bit. Hopefully she can come back and redeem herself. After that, we might think about the Champion S. or the Queen Elizabeth II S. on Champions Day.”

Mother Earth, who excelled when beating Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) in the G1 1000 Guineas over this course and distance May 2, has also annexed Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild Aug. 3 and arguably would have added the G1 Matron S. to her tally had she not met significant trouble in running. Eventually third behind the O'Callaghans' No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) in that Sept. 11 Leopardstown contest, her enthusiasm seems undimmed at this late stage of the season and if she can maintain her consistency it might be enough. Saffron Beach, who scoped dirty when 11th in the Falmouth, beat two subsequent black-type winners in impressive fashion in Sandown's G3 Atalanta S. last time Aug. 21 and is back over the course at which she won the G3 Oh So Sharp S. last October.

Saffron Beach will be partnered by William Buick, who interestingly has stayed in Newmarket rather than gone to ParisLongchamp to ride Godolphin's newcomer Al Nafir (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the opening MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed EBF Maiden S. over a mile. The Charlie Appleby-trained €1.2-million 2019 Goffs November Foal Sale topper is a son of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and therefore a full-brother to the operation's Ghaiyyath (Ire).

Arc Weekend Kicks Off In Paris

One of the first of the stable's French raiders Buick has passed over is the exciting Manobo (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the 15-furlong G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay, which is the first of the pattern races on ParisLongchamp's star-studded weekend fixture. The homebred denied Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) on debut at Newbury May 14 before recording a 4 1/4-length win in a June 2 Kempton novice and a 10-length follow-up in the 12-furlong Listed Prix Turenne at Saint-Cloud Sept. 10. He is joined by stablemate Kemari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who took the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot June 16 before disappointing when last in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York Aug. 18 and they meet Ballydoyle's Sept. 11 G1 St Leger fourth Interpretation (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“Manobo brings a nice, progressive profile into the race and I was very pleased with his latest win at Saint-Cloud,” Appleby said. “We feel that the step up in trip will produce further improvement and he ticks a lot of boxes–he has travelled over to France before and ease in the ground will suit. Kemari is on something of a recovery mission after disappointing at York. He won over a staying trip in the Queen's Vase and the drop back to a mile and a half on quicker ground at York may have worked against him. Stepping back up in distance on a softer surface can hopefully rekindle his Royal Ascot form, which will make him very competitive.”

Whether the ground deteriorates enough to rule Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) out of the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran remains to be seen and it is to be hoped that the rain abates enough for the Gosden luminary to take part in the race for the first time. Without a Group 1 win this term, the 7-year-old has shown enough in winning the Aug. 20 G2 Lonsdale Cup at York and the Sept. 10 G2 Doncaster Cup that he retains all the ability required to notch an eighth at this level.

Ease in the ground obviously detracts from the chances of Stradivarius as much as it enhances those of the July 27 G1 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and last year's Cadran winner Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}), who got nearest to Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot June 17 and who shaped with encouragement when second again in The Curragh's G3 Irish St Leger Trial S. Aug. 13.

France's main hopes of a Cadran win may rest with Le Haras De La Gousserie's progressive 5-year-old Skazino (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), who has racked up a trio of successes in the country's leading staying contests, the G3 Prix de Barbeville and G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier here in May and Deauville's G2 Prix Kergorlay Aug. 22.

Following the Cadran is the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, where The Aga Khan's Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) bids to provide her legendary trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre with at least one more top-level success before he heads into retirement. Having beaten the aforementioned Skazino in the G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil over this 14-furlong trip and track July 14, last year's G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine was third under a penalty behind the Arc protagonist Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the 12 1/2-furlong G2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville Aug. 22.

Splitting Raabihah and Valia in the Pomone was the Aug. 1 Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine winner Joie de Soir (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who represents the Coolmore-Andre Fabre axis. She was getting 11 pounds from Valia there and only seven here, but as an unexposed 3-year-old from this stable rates as a genuine threat. Britain's leading contenders are the June 17 G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and the July 8 G3 Stanerra S. scorer Believe In Love (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), with the latter wanting as much rain as can fall having won Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Belle de Nuit on heavy ground over this trip last October.

Also on the card is the G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein, where Al Asayl France's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks for a third consecutive renewal en route to defending his crown at Ascot. Last seen finishing fourth in the G2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud May 1, he faces a stiff task taking on Godolphin's Aug. 21 G3 Strensall S. winner Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and dual Group 1 winner Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) who returned to form last time when third in the Sept. 5 G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “Victor Ludorum comes here after arguably a career-best performance in the Prix du Moulin, when he recorded incredible splits having missed the break and a top-speed of over 70km/h. He won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere as a 2-year-old over this course and distance and on heavy ground. His trainer reports that he is a picture of health and expects a good run.” Saeed bin Suroor has yet to commit Real World and added, “Real World worked well earlier in the week and heads to France in good form. There is a question mark over the going being too soft and we will check the ground before he runs, but he is ready to go again.”

In a competitive renewal, The Aga Khan's Dilawar (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) also comes into the mix having won the Aug. 29 G3 Prix Quincey impressively at Deauville, while Katsumi Yoshida's Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) is back over the same course and distance of her victory in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches May 16. The G2 Qatar Prix Dollar sees Mohamed Obaida's Aug. 14 G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano scorer Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) tackle The Aga Khan's Sept. 5 G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange winner Saiydabad (Blame) and Anthony Oppenheimer's Aug. 12 G3 Sovereign S. scorer Megallan (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

Top Two-Year-Old Returns

Ascot's four pattern races include the Listed Oakman Group Rous S. over five furlongs, where Shadwell's Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) makes his belated seasonal bow having secured his place among the elite of the 2020 juveniles with a win in the G2 Gimcrack S. and third placing in the G1 Middle Park S. Also representing that operation is the triple Group 3 winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Cumberland Lodge S., who bids to get back on track after a surprise defeat in the G3 September S. on Kempton's Polytrack Sept. 4.

Owen Burrows trains both and said, “We've never run Minzaal over five furlongs, but he's not short of speed. He's not run for over a year, so we thought with the ground getting a little bit soft it would make sense to try him over a shorter trip. He's really been pleasing me at home in his work, so we hope he'll go well. Hukum seems to have been in good form since Kempton. He has to give away a penalty again, but we're happy with him and this will probably be his last run of the year.”

The fields for Sunday's supporting races at ParisLongchamp were finalised on Friday, with Juddmonte's unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Raclette (GB) (Frankel {GB}) due to face eight fillies in the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac and the same number tackling Al Shaqab's G1 Phoenix S. hero Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. There are 15 engaged in the G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines including Alison Swinburn's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and also in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines, where the 3-year-old fillies Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) square up again. Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will have to overcome stall 10 in the seven-furlong G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, for which 16 line up.

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Bloodlines Presented By Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders And Owners Association: A Banner Weekend For Fillies

Around the world this weekend, fillies have made life hard on the colts. Notably, here at home in the States, the Daredevil filly Swiss Skydiver refused to yield to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) in the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3.

At Longchamp in France, a pair of mares won Group 1 races against their male competition. In the 2 1/2-mile Prix du Cadran, the 5-year-old Princess Zoe caught the longtime leader Alkuin close to the finish and won the staying laurels in Europe. In the seven-furlong Prix de la Foret, the 6-year-old One Master (Fastnet Rock) won this important race for the third time. She was bred in England by Lael Stable, which also campaigns the talented racer.

The German-bred Princess Zoe is a daughter of the Montjeu stallion Jukebox Jury. The sire won the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot as a 2-year-old, then progressed to win the G2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket, the G2 Prix Kergorlay at Deauville, the G1 Irish St. Leger at the Curragh, and the G1 Preis von Europa at Cologne. The gray went to stud in Germany at Gestut Etzean in 2013, where Princess Zoe came from a mating in the stallion's second season of breeding, foals of 2015. In 2018, Jukebox Jury was transferred to Ireland and stands at Burgage Stud in County Carlow.

Daredevil, the sire of multiple Grade 1 winner Swiss Skydiver, has had a similar pattern at stud. The son of More Than Ready entered stud at WinStar Farm in 2016, then before his stock reached the races, was sold to the Jockey Club of Turkey and transferred to their studs in Eastern Europe, along with Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.

Swiss Skydiver, along with G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil, are members of the first crop of racers by Daredevil, and they have raised his profile among breeders in Turkey and elsewhere. According to press reports out of Turkey, there is considerable interest in Daredevil from breeders around the world, and he may be put to use as a dual-hemisphere stallion.

The dam of Swiss Skydiver, the Johannesburg mare Expo Gold, has been added to the Keeneland November sale. The 12-year-old mare, in foal to first-year sire Catholic Boy (More Than Ready), will sell on the first day of the November sale as part of the Taylor Made consignment. In addition, two half-sisters to Swiss Skydiver have been consigned to the Keeneland November auction: the stakes-placed Miss Hot Legs, who is by Verrazano, a son of More Than Ready, like Daredevil and Catholic Boy, will be consigned by South Point Sales, agent, in foal to Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist; and Is It Gold (Indygo Shiner), will be offered as a broodmare prospect by Hunter Valley Farm, agent.

More Than Ready himself had a massively successful weekend, as the sire of Uni, winner of the G1 First Lady Stakes, and as the broodmare sire of Simply Ravishing (Laoban), the winner of the G1 Alcibiades Stakes.

The final filly who put the boys in their place was the Japanese-bred Gran Alegria, a daughter of the great sire Deep Impact. She shares a sire with the 3-year-old Contrail, who will attempt to win his country's Triple Crown after victories in the Satsuki Sho (2,000 Guineas) and Tokyo Yushun (Japan Derby).

In contrast to the classic winner Contrail, the 4-year-old Gran Alegria tackled colts in the G1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama over 1,200 meters on turf. Lagging behind all but one of her competitors, Gran Alegria went outside all the racers in front of her as she turned on a stretch finish that would have made Winx blush.

Turning into the stretch with only one competitor behind her, Gran Alegria swept past them all to win by two lengths in 1:08.3. It is an exhibition worth watching and a link to the race video is available on the website of Horse Racing in Japan.

This fast bay filly is out of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf winner Tapitsfly (Tapit), who sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.85 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November sale. A two-time G1 winner, Tapitsfly produced Gran Alegria as her first named foal, and the Sprinters Stakes winner is her dam's only surviving offspring. Tragically, Tapitsfly died foaling another Deep Impact foal on Mar. 2, 2018.

Some of the bravest and fleetest of our racers, mares put their lives into producing the next generation of racing stock. On the course and in the paddocks, they deserve our salute.

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Sun Chariot The Centre Of Saturday Feast

ParisLongchamp warms up for Sunday’s main event with a fascinating card on Saturday, but it is Newmarket’s sole pattern race which steals the show with the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. featuring a clutch of high-class milers. They are headed by the rising sensation Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), who upstaged the re-opposing Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last time on Sept. 12 and has subsequently prompted a purchase by Teruya Yoshida. Stepping up off a prior win in the G3 Fairy Bridge S. over an extended seven-furlong trip at Gowran Park on Sept. 2, the Johnny Murtagh-trained bay showed a deadly turn of acceleration to dominate her first race at the top level and soft ground will hold fewer fears for her than the June 13 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Peaceful. “With a filly like her, you just don’t know when they’ll stop,” Murtagh said. “She’s been remarkable this year, starting off in a handicap and she’s gone up to Group 1 company, winning all the way. This will be her fifth run of the year, so she hasn’t been over-raced. We know it’s a tough assignment and she has to travel, which she’s never done before, but she’s tough and genuine. Her preparation has gone very smoothly and we’re looking forward to it.”

Also in the cast is the one-two-three from the July 10 G1 Falmouth S. in Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Terebellum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Shadwell’s homebred came out on top in that July Course encounter, but after two defeats over 10 furlongs in the July 30 G1 Nassau S. and Aug. 23 G1 Prix Jean Romanet, she has to bounce back while Billesdon Brook possibly has to step up on her defeat of Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in this 12 months ago. Trainer Richard Hannon said, “Billesdon Brook loves it at Newmarket. She seems to run 10 pounds better there than she does on any other track. We didn’t think she would win the 1000 Guineas, which she did, and we didn’t think she would win the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes last year, and she did. I see no reason why she shouldn’t run a massive race. She comes alive at Newmarket–the straight mile seems to suit her a lot more than a round mile–and she is working super at home.”

Longchamp Warms Up With Group 1 Double

Paris Longchamp’s Saturday card now has the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu and G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran as its dual focus, with the former in its second year as an upgraded top-level contest for staying fillies and mares. Robbed of the likely favourite Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) through injury, the 14-furlong feature could prove an ideal opportunity for Scott Heider’s first success in this grade in Europe with the progressive 3-year-old Pista (American Pharoah). Coming off a win in the G2 Park Hill Fillies’ S. at Doncaster on Sept. 10, the Joseph O’Brien-trained bay handled soft ground when getting off the mark at Galway on Aug. 2 but whether she will handle it as well as Waverley Racing’s proven mudlark Manuela de Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) remains to be seen. Emphatic in such conditions in Haydock’s G3 Pinnacle S. on June 7 and G2 Lancashire Oaks on July 5, she was found out last time when a well-beaten fourth as the ground proved too dry in the Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks.

The Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre currently hold the record of eight successes apiece in this race when it was staged as a Group 3 and Group 2 and Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) has sound claims of adding to that tally following her success in soft ground in Deauville’s G2 Prix de Pomone over 12 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 23.

In the 2 1/2-mile Cadran, George Strawbridge’s 2018 hero Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) bids for compensation for his strong-finishing second to Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger) when given too much to do last year. Unlucky not to be unbeaten in 2020, the homebred enjoyed the perfect prep when successful in the 15-furlong G2 Prix Kergorlay at Deauville on Aug. 23 and sets a lofty standard. One that could reach the heights is the Tony Mullins-trained Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}), who made it four straight wins in Galway’s Listed Oyster S. over 12 furlongs on heavy ground on Sept. 8 and the runner-up Barrington Court (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has since franked the form when third in the G3 Loughbrown S. “I certainly never expected to be in a Group 1 with her, but when we started training her I knew we had a very good handicapper,” Mullins said. “Admittedly it was a much lower-grade race, but the evidence from Galway was that she was only starting to open up over two-miles-one and it is a savage hill there. From that we are confident she’ll stay, but you can never be sure until you dip your toe in the water.”

Also lurking is a lightly-raced, unexposed filly in the line-up who could be a threat in the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Think of Me (Ger) (So You Think {NZ}). Successful in the 14-furlong Listed Prix Gold River at Deauville on May 21, in which Friday’s listed scorer Amarena (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) was third, Clear Light SAS’s bargain buy was an eye-catching second to Longchamp specialist Called To the Bar (Ire) (Henrythenavigator) in the Sept. 6 G3 Prix Gladiateur.

ParisLongchamp’s supporting races include the G2 Qatar Prix Dollar over an extended 11 furlongs, where Jean-Claude Seroul’s defending champion and triple group winner Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) bids to book his ticket to Ascot’s G1 Champion S. He faces Coolmore’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah), who beat the smart filly Irska (Fr) (Hunter’s Light {Ire}) by five lengths in the 10-furlong Listed Prix de Suresnes at Deauville on May 31 before finishing a disappointing 10th in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on July 5. Also in the mix is Haras de Saint Pair’s highly-regarded Sept. 6 G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte winner Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), while the G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein sees the return of Al Asayl France’s 2019 winner The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Off the track since his subsequent second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot in October, the 5-year-old has ground conditions to suit as he starts back.

“He was very impressive last year. He’s a fantastic horse, but this season has been difficult as we knew he wasn’t going to have his ground,” The Revenant’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard commented. “I feel he’s in the same form as last year. He’s worked really well, he will love the ground and I’m happy with his condition. Will he need the race? I don’t think so, but we’ll see on Saturday. He’s such a nice horse. We’ll see if he goes back to Ascot. We are running with a very fresh horse this year.”

Logician Comeback Continues At Ascot

At Ascot, Khalid Abullah’s 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) kicks off a huge weekend for the operation in the G3 Tote.co.uk Cumberland Lodge S. as he continues on the road back from an attack of peritonitis during the winter. Still unbeaten and full of enthusiasm based on his easy return success in a non-event two-runner affair at Doncaster on Sept. 10, the grey has last year’s impressive winner Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) to aim at in this 12-furlong contest which will tell connections a lot more about his current standard. “This weekend is why we are in the game, for these great moments,” Teddy Grimthorpe said. “We have an unbeaten Classic winner running on Saturday and a great racemare going for a third Arc on Sunday, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. For everyone, from Prince Khalid downwards at Juddmonte, it’s exciting and this is what it is all about. If you didn’t get nervous you clearly don’t care.”

Of Logician, who will be racing on the deepest ground he has yet to encounter after persistent rain blighted the venue on Friday, the operation’s racing manager added, “Given how serious his illness was over the winter, we were delighted with how Doncaster went in every way and everyone has been very pleased with him since. All his work at home suggests he’s in very good form–it’s encouraging. We always thought he would handle soft ground. If it gets extreme, what I call specialist areas, then that is an unknown, but I think he’d certainly handle it soft. His dam, Scuffle, never ran on anything like it’s going to be, but his dad, Frankel, of course won a Champion S. on bottomless ground on Champions Day so there is some encouragement. This looks a nice race for him, a Group 3 without a penalty, but like all these things the reality is never quite what you imagine. He’s going into the race in good form, we’re all happy with him and have been since Doncaster. Of course there is some trepidation, mainly because of the infection he had over the winter, but hopefully he’s over it.”

Elsewhere on Ascot’s fixture, last year’s G3 John Guest Racing Bengough S. winner Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal) makes his belated seasonal bow in the same race for the Roger Varian stable who also runs Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s G2 Rockfel S. and G3 Albany S. winner Daahyeh (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) in the Listed John Guest Racing British EBF S., or October S. Second to Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at The Curragh in September and to Sharing (Speightstown) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, she makes her belated comeback under David Egan who said, “We’ve not seen her on track this year as she had a little setback, but I’m sure she will be spot-on for Saturday and I’m hoping she can get back to her best. She has obviously got the form in the book, having been second in the Breeders’ Cup and being a Royal Ascot winner, so she is the one to beat. They’ve done plenty of work with her and Roger feels she is fit and ready to go and make her mark for the year. She is back at seven furlongs having run over a mile at the Breeders’ Cup, but she won the Rockfel over seven and the Albany over six, so she is not short of speed. I think an Ascot seven is well within her capabilities. I wouldn’t want it bottomless for her, but anything would be fine as long as it is not exaggerated.”

At Tipperary, the Niarchos Family’s Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) takes another class drop in the G3 Coolmore U S Navy Flag Concorde S. over an extended seven-furlong trip. Successful in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on this weekend last year, the homebred has yet to hit full stride this term but shaped as if a return to her best was imminent when fifth in the Matron last time. There is also pattern-race action at Hoppegarten, with the G1 Longines 130th Grosser Preis von Berlin over a mile and a half somewhat overshadowed on this particular day of action despite its status. Traditionally one of Europe’s weaker top-level contests, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s consistent Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) tries again having finished runner-up to Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in the Sept. 13 G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, where the re-opposing Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was third.

Torquator Tasso was second to Sunday’s Arc protagonist In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the G1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg on July 12 and is one of a trio who line up here having contested that Classic alongside Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Kaspar (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}) and Dicaprio (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Only fifth and below-par when fifth as favourite for the Derby, Stall Wasserfreunde’s triple group scorer Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) returns from his break in the supporting 10-furlong G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit.

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