Foot In The Door

Alain de Royer-Dupre has a strong hand in Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, with Vazirabad (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and One Foot In Heaven (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) posing a formidable challenge. The latter, who sports the Fair Salinia colours as did his esteemed dam Pride (Fr) (Peintre Celebre), is on a roll after successes in the G3 Prix d'Hedouville over this course and distance May 8 and June 5 G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, and this will test his ability thoroughly. Stablemate Vazirabad drops back in trip after proving the leading act at or around two miles, with wins in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak here and the G2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan Mar. 26. Last seen winning the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier again at this track May 29, His Highness The Aga Khan's homebred will need an end-to-end gallop to feature against some speedier rivals.

Lady Bamford's Eagle Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and The Niarchos Family's Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are two Group 1 performers who need to arrest a short period of decline, but if the former can regain the form of his second to Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., he sets the standard. Scuderia Effevi's Dylan Mouth (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is one of the leading performers in Italy, as he proved when winning the G2 Gran Premio di Milano, which he had also taken when it held its customary Group 1 status a year earlier. His display in that 12-furlong feature at the San Siro May 29 was convincing, and trainer Marco Botti is hoping he can mix it with the better Europeans here.

“His first race for us was in the Gran Premio di Milano and he won well,” his handler said of the former Stefano Botti trainee. “It wasn't a strong field, but he dictated the pace and quickened well. Now it's time to find out if he is a Group 1 horse abroad. He's in great form, he shouldn't mind the good-to-soft ground and he stays. He's in great form and hopefully he will run a good race and we can make a plan for the future.”