Allex Alea!

ALLEZ ALEA! 
Unbeaten and amongst the creme of her crop, Kirsten Rausing’s G3 Prix Thomas Bryon heroine Alea Iacta (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) takes on the colts again in today’s G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. So impressive in that course-and-distance contest last time Oct. 9, the Andre Fabre trainee was six-lengths best easing down in the closing stages after steering a lone path up the stand’s rail. 

As usual, Richard Hannon’s presence is strongly felt in a major juvenile staging post and in Teo Ah Khing’s recent acquisition Burnt Sugar (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) he has a leading player. After readily disposing of the subsequent G3 Somerville Tattersall S. winner Maftool (Hard Spun) in Kempton’s G3 Sirenia S. over six furlongs Sept. 6, he stayed on into fourth, beaten around a length, over an extra panel in the Oct. 5. G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp. Also from overseas is Vert de Grece (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), who was flattered by his three-quarter length proximity to the subsequent Lagardere demotee Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in The Curragh’s G2 Futurity S. over seven furlongs last time Aug. 24. He has since joined Roger Varian from Joe Murphy and his new trainer said, “Vert de Grece goes to France in good form. He has been training nicely and a repeat of his second to Gleneagles would see him in with a good chance.” 

His Highness The Aga Khan’s Cherek (Fr) (Paco Boy {Ire}) was green when third as the favorite for the G3 Prix des Chenes over this trip at Longchamp last time Sept. 20, but is bred to improve with age and experience.