Gold’ Rush

As last week’s 1000 Guineas showed, the Classic division is open to an improver at the very top and there is none that fits that bill better in Sunday’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches than Khalid Abdullah’s Mexican Gold (Medaglia d’Oro). Already proven over Longchamp’s mile, the Apr. 12 G3 Prix de la Grotte winner is ridden again by jump jockey sensation Vincent Cheminaud as trainer Andre Fabre hands him the ultimate opportunity. “Mexican Gold is a very nice filly who has already won twice in soft ground, so that will hold no fears for her,” her trainer said. “She won the Prix de la Grotte well and I’m sure she’ll give a good account of herself. She has a nice future, hopefully.” Fabre also saddles the Wertheimers’ Soft Drink (Lemon Drop Kid), who scored over this trip at Chantilly Apr. 15 on her first start since running 10th in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day. “Soft Drink was one of my big hopes as a 2-year-old, but she failed to even win a maiden,” the trainer added. “It turned out she had a virus, so she can be excused her run in the Boussac. She was very impressive on her only run this season and I’m confident she will run very well.” Yves de Nicolay saddles Ecurie ABU’s Sainte Amarante (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who made a lasting impression when annexing Saint-Cloud’s Listed Prix la Camargo over this trip Mar. 24 and jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot is expecting a bold show. “She won well last time and she should run a good race here,” he commented. “The plan was always to go further after this and go for the G1 Prix de Diane.” With a record-equaling seven renewals under her belt, Criquette Head-Maarek is always worth following and her representative this time is Katsumi Yoshida’s Fontanelice (Ire) (Vale of York {Ire}). Trained by Stefano Botti to dead-heat in the six-furlong G3 Premio Primi Passi and win the G3 Premio Dormello outright over a mile at the San Siro in June and October respectively, the bay has so far come up short in France. Fifth in the G3 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte Apr. 2, she progressed next time to be just under a length fourth in the Prix de la Grotte. Martyn Meade sends Sunday’s G1 1000 Guineas sixth Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) back into action in a move which should not be ignored, especially after Toujours l’Amour (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) boosted the form of her Listed Montrose S. form when taking Saturday’s Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial.