With the G1 Grand Prix de Paris looming on the horizon, Sunday's G3 Prix du Lys Longines at Chantilly serves as the main prep for that Bastille Day highlight staged this year at Saint-Cloud, and as usual it is to Andre Fabre that all must look at first hand. He boasts an astounding record 15 successes here and 13 in the Grand Prix itself, with the Juddmonte pair of Rail Link (GB) and Flintshire (GB) completing the double in 2006 and 2013, respectively, and it is the stable's lightly raced and unexposed colt Maniaco (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) who is set to head the betting this time. Out of the 2010 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Plumania (GB) (Anabaa), the Wertheimer homebred scored over this course and distance with authority on heavy ground last time May 24. On a line through that race's runner-up Vengeful (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), there is little between Maniaco and Spring Master (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who also beat that runner-up over this track and trip Apr. 20 before running second to Maniaco's stablemate and subsequent G1 Prix du Jockey Club fourth Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Listed Prix de l'Avre also over a mile and a half at Saint-Cloud May 23. Fabre also saddles the Wildenstein representative Mahari (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), who was five lengths further adrift in third in the Prix de l'Avre, while Freddy Head saddles a filly with real prospects in Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}). LNJ Foxwoods's grey created a striking impression when winning the fillies' conditions race on the same card as Maniaco here last time.
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