Sunday's G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly has as wide-open a feel as the Epsom feature 24 hours earlier, with Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Foundation (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) looking likely to start as one of the market leaders after drawing 12 of the 17 runners. Aimed at this since his return second in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket Apr. 14, last year's G2 Royal Lodge S. winner was third behind stablemate Wings of Desire (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) after suffering a troubled trip in the G2 Dante S. over just short of this trip at York May 12. His starting position could be ideal in a potentially rough-house renewal, and the recent winners Lope de Vega (Ire) and New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) both overcame wider post positions. The syndicate's racing manager Harry Herbert is expecting a bold show. “It is all systems go. He has been in very good form and is working very well. Frankie Dettori rode him in some work last week and he was delighted,” he explained. “As far as well-being and form coming into the race is concerned, John Gosden is happy with him. He ran a terrific race in the Dante and just got in a pocket. If he'd had a clear run it would have been a completely different picture. I am not saying he would have won, but he would have finished closer. They have had some rain out there and that shouldn't inconvenience him. Everyone that rides him feels that a mile and a quarter at this stage of his career is what he wants. You need a lot of luck in running in the Prix du Jockey Club and the cards have got to fall the right way, but he is an exciting horse.”
Harry Herbert is also looking for a big performance from Al Shaqab's G2 Prix Hocquart winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), but the Jean-Claude Rouget trainee has fared badly from the draw in 15. “He comes into this race off that very impressive win in a Group 2, where he made all the running. It was a very eye-catching performance,” Herbert said of the colt, who captured his trial by six lengths over 10 furlongs at Deauville May 15. “He would not want the ground going too soft, as he clearly appreciated the better ground. We think he is pretty smart, but it is hard to tie in the French and English form.”
Successful in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the English-trained but essentially all-French Robin of Navan (Fr) (American Post {GB}) has fared well with a draw in two following his return second to Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G2 Prix Greffulhe over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud May 8. He had that rival behind on two occasions in 2015 and trainer Harry Dunlop is undeterred by his defeat last time. “The race wasn't run to suit last time out and to be honest, the ground was a bit too quick,” he said. “We had not done too much with him before that, so hopefully there is plenty of improvement in him. He seems in very good form. The rain has been unbelievable out there, but I don't think that worries us.”
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