A fascinating race over 6½f at Deauville where a pair of Irish horses and three English horses take on a home team of six French horses.

The English

Wille Haggas sends Division with James Doyle in the plate. A three-time winner last year, he’s acquitted himself well in two Group 1s this year. Third in the Commonwealth Cup, he ran fifth in the July Cup.

Charlie Appleby employs the services of Christophe Smoullion for Wise Approach. He won the G1 Middle Park last year, but hasn’t lived up to that this year in three runs, finishing last in the Commonwealth Cup on his last run.

George Boughey sends Rosy Affair, a 5yo mare who won a G3 here last year and won a Listed race at Haydock this year. She ran a career best in the G1 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing fourth.

The French

Francis-Henri Graffard’s How Are You will be ridden by Clement Lecoeuvre. A winner first time out, he finished second in a pair before returning to the winners’ enclosure here at Listed level last time out.

Francis-Henri Graffard also has Samangan under Mickael Barzalona going to post. A good juvenile record, fourth first time out, then three wins on the bounce, culminating in taking the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly. This year he’s not lived up to expectations, a well-beaten sixth in the Commonwealth Cup; he fared better when going down a length in the G1 Jean Prat here over 7f, finishing fourth.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s Afandy, the mount of Cristian Demuro, is a three-time winner from five outings, including a G3 here in April, beating Samangan. He could only muster fourth when upped in class to G2 level at Lonchamp last time out.

Xavier Blanchet’s Mise En Boite has Anthony Crastus in the plate. A 4yo whose best run was last time out when winning the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis here in July.

Pierre Groualle’s Summer Sail is the outsider of the field at 100/1 and will be ridden by Maxine Guyon.

Patrice Cottier’s Stolen Kiss has Alexis Pouchin onboard. He’s a 4yo who has improved no end this year. He won his first three, two at Listed level before going down just a neck in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing fourth.

The Irish

Aidan O’Brien sends True Love with Wayne Lordan doing the steering. She won the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, finished second at the Curragh in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, third in the G1 Coronation Stakes, then second to Thesecretadversary in the G1 Jean Prat.

---

Johnny Murtagh sends Take Charge Star under regular pilot Ben Coen. He was tried over a mile in his first three runs this year, including the Irish 2000 Guineas. He’s only won once in seven attempts; however, his last run was by far his best when dropped to 7f, going down a neck to Thesecretadversary in the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

---

Conclusion

There is a lot to like about Stolen Kiss’s run at Ascot, who came from last to get within a neck of Almeraq, showing a serious turn of foot to do so; however, the form of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes was not held up in the July Cup. Almeraq was well beaten, and the second at Ascot, Santono Reve, finished third at Newmarket.

The form of the Jersey may prove superior for this.

Take Charge Star is improving; he ran a cracker in the Jersey to get within a neck of Thesecretadversary, who franked the form when winning the Jean Prat, beating True Love by ½L.

Take Charge Star got closer to Thesecretadversary at Ascot than True Love did at Deauville; that gives preference to Take Charge Star.

Recommedation

Take Charge Star 8/1 ew

---