Like every other major meeting in the European calendar, Aidan O'Brien's Team Ballydoyle have enjoyed multiple successes on the Arc card and have accounted for seven winners of what is now the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, a “Win And You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in November. All of those who took this race previously known just as the Grand Criterium–a prestigious title it still carries–and which has been returned from seven furlongs to its prior mile distance, were unsurprisingly colts but in a recent departure by the Rosegreen establishment it is a filly who flies the flag this time in Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She reversed placings from the G2 Debutante S. with her Marcel Boussac-bound stablemate Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over seven furlongs at The Curragh last time Aug. 20, having impressed when capturing the G3 Silver Flash S. by five lengths at Leopardstown on July 27.
Heading the opposition among the colts is 'TDN Rising Star' Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who has already been upstaged by two of the best fillies around in September (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Nyaleti (Ire) (Arch) when third in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S. over seven furlongs on June 24. Given a break after that encounter by Charlie Appleby, the chestnut returned in rude health to win Sandown's G3 Solario S. on Sept. 2 and is the pick of James Doyle over the stable's Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). He took Deauville's Listed Prix Francois Boutin over seven furlongs on Aug. 13 before finishing third in the G2 Champagne S. over that trip at Doncaster Sept. 16.
“Masar and Mythical Magic are in great nick,” their trainer said. “I know 100% that Mythical Magic will handle the ground and I'm very confident Masar will. I think a nice flat track will suit Masar and we will keep it simple with him. I see Masar getting further in time and I think this is about the maximum trip that Mythical Magic will get. He has got the pace to jump and travel well.”
Appleby already has a line into 'TDN Rising Star' Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War), who he beat with Stage Magic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G3 Prix des Chenes over this track and trip last time Sept. 3. Interestingly, Stage Magic had previously finished a short-head second to Francesco Bere (Fr) (Peer Gynt {Jpn}) in Deauville's Listed Criterium du FEE over this distance on Aug. 19 and the form of that race has been boosted to suggest that Gerard Lesur's bay is no back number here.
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