Fantasia odds-on for French Guineas.

Fantasia odds-on for French 1,000 Guineas


FRANCE: Fantasia was on Tuesday installed 4-5 favourite by Blue Square for Sunday's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp.

The Luca Cumani-trained Leslie Harrison Nell Gwyn Stakes winner, who swerved the Stanjames.com 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket last Sunday to avoid a clash with Rainbow View - likewise owned by George Strawbridge - is one of 14 remaining entries for the French 1,000 Guineas.

She heads Prix Imprudence winner Elusive Wave (7-2) and last year's Prix Marcel Boussac heroineProportional (6-1) in Blue Square's market.

Proportional's trainer Criquette Head-Maarek said on Tuesday: "She did a nice piece of work with one lead horse on ‘Les Aigles' this morning."

Other British-trained horses left in the Pouliches are the Kevin Ryan-trained Undaunted Affair andArabian Mirage, who is under the care of Brian Meehan.

David Lanigan has decided against sending Say No Know over to France on Sunday, butJim Bolger is having a look at the race for Blas Ceoil.

Poule d'Essai des Pouliches

Blue Square: 4-5 Fantasia, 7-2 Elusive Wave, 6 Proportional, Tamazirte, 10 Soneva, 20 Entre Deux Eaux, 20 Oh Goodness Me, 33 bar

Fantasia to face cream of home team on Sunday


FRANCE: Fantasia and Frankie Dettori face a maximum of 11 rivals in Sunday’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp.

However the Nell Gwyn winner will be gifted the Group 1 as the French are well represented with Tamazirte, Soneva and Proportional, who took the first three places in the Prix de la Grotte.

Jean-Claude Rouget also has a strong hand to play, apart from saddling Tamazirte, he also will be running Elusive Wave. Runner up to Proportional in the Prix Marcel Boussac, the daughter of Elusive City was very impressive when making a winning return in the Group 3 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte last month.

Other English runners are the Brian Meehan-trained Arabian Mirage, who is likely to be ridden by Jamie Spencer while Kevin Ryan has booked Olivier Peslier for Undaunted Affair. Jim Bolger alsosends recent Group 3 winner Oh Goodness Me from Ireland.


There were 13 colts declared for the Poule d’Essai des Poulains including Godolphin’s Shaweel, and five of them are trained in Ireland. Jim Bolger runs Intense Focus and possibly Vocalised. Aidan O’Brien has declared Westphalia, Born To Be King and also CoatOf Arms who won a maiden at Gowran Park on Wednesday.


The French defence is led by Naaqoos who beat Intense Focus in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere before missing out to Le Havre when making his seasonal debut in the Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte. The latter is trained by Rouget, who will also be represented by Oiseau de Feu.

Another leading French contender is the Prix de Fontainebleau winner Silver Frost who beat Westphalia in the Classic trial. The David Smaga-trained Handsome Maestro also impressed when winning at Longchamp last time out.

Marchand d’Or has frightened off several potential rivals in the Prix de Saint-Georges sprint, but Dandy Nicholls sends over Inxile who will be ridden by son Adrian.

Kevin Ryan has put Johnny Murtagh on board Benbaun and an interesting runner in the field, is the Greek-trained July Cup entryContest, who won a Listed race at Chantilly last time out.

The going at Longchamp was 3.2 - good - on Thursday but there is a risk of thundery showers on Sunday.

Clerk of the Course Christian Delporte said: “I am going to put around 5mm on the track late this evening or tomorrow morning. I am hoping for good to good to soft ground for Sunday’s big meeting.”