With five of the eight protagonists for Monday's G1 Prix Ganay at Saint-Cloud already tasting success at this level, it looks a solid renewal but also one that could be open for a colt who is yet to achieve that laureate in Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Always held in high esteem by Andre Fabre, Godolphin's blueblood has enjoyed the perfect conditioning ahead of this test in winning the G3 Prix Exbury on Mar. 19 and Chantilly's G2 Prix d'Harcourt three weeks ago. His record at this venue is three-from-five, with his defeats coming in the 2015 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and last year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris, and he may have the edge over the operation's returning G1 Eclipse S. hero Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy). That Charlie Appleby trainee was unable to build on his Sandown exploits thereafter and ended his 3-year-old campaign with a third behind Stall Ullmann's Guignol (Ger) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and fellow Godolphin representative Racing History (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern over a mile-and-a-half at Munich at the start of November. “Cloth of Stars has had an ideal preparation, winning the two lead-up races,” Fabre commented. “He is in great form and goes on any ground, so I'm not worried about that [rain]. He needs to make the step up into Group 1 company now and show improvement again on his last two starts, if he is to make that transition.”
Appleby said of Hawkbill, “He did very well in Dubai over the winter. He goes into the Ganay fresh and well and it looks like he should get conditions to suit. If he brings his 'A Game' to Saint-Cloud, he should be very competitive.”
Second in this 12 months ago, Silverwave (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) went on to beat Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in this track's feature G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July. Following up in the G2 Prix Foy at Chantilly in September, he was subsequently 13th in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe back there the following month and 12th in the G1 Hong Kong Vase. The Niarchos Family's Erupt went on to glory in the GI Canadian International, but like his compatriot was unable to land a blow in the Far East when 14th in the G1 Japan Cup.
His Highness The Aga Khan's 'TDN Rising Star' Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) has yet to convince that he is up to this standard, but the son of Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) at least has match-fitness on his side having won the G3 Dubai Millennium S. over 10 furlongs at Meydan on Feb. 16 and finished fourth in the Mar. 25 G1 Dubai Turf over nine furlongs.
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