Last-Chance Saloon

Today’s G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte offers the faster of Europe’s 2-year-olds one of the final opportunities to gain serious black-type, with Jonathan Pease looking to build on a stellar weekend with Souvenir Delondres (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Christopher Wright’s filly comes into this on the back of a success in Chantilly’s G3 Prix Eclipse over this trip Oct. 10, having won the Listed Prix de la Vallee d’Auge over five furlongs at Deauville Aug. 15. She finished third behind J“TDN Rising Star” J and G1 Cheveley Park S. third High Celebrity (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in Chantilly’s G3 Prix d’Arenberg over 5 1/2 furlongs Sept. 9. Splitting that duo in second was Ecurie Pandora Racing’s City Money (Ire)(Elusive City), who had previously finished in the same spot behind the subsequent G1 Prix Morny third and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G3 Prix de Cabourg at this distance at Deauville Aug. 3. One of the unexposed types of interest is the unbeaten Shamal (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who beat a subsequent scorer in Sallal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) on debut over 5 1/2 furlongs here Sept. 19 before following up in style in a decent conditions event also over that trip at Deauville Oct. 21.