Four travel to take on four French mares in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville.

The Travellers

Andrew Balding’s Blue Bolt, the mount of Colin Keane, and Aidan O’Brien’s Precise, the mount of Ryan Moore, meet again after finishing first and second in the G1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting. Blue Bolt was capitalising on her G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes win at Royal Ascot. Precise had previously won the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Precise winning the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh

Also travelling is Karl Burke’s Evolutionist, with Shane Foley on board. She ran second to True Love in the 1000 Guineas and finished fourth at Newmarket in the Falmouth. Sir Mark Prescott’s Moon Target makes the trip, with Luke Morris in the plate. She finished fourth in the G1 Coronation Stakes behind Precise at Royal Ascot on her first start this year.

The Home Team

Christopher Head’s Green Spirit, the mount of Maxime Guyon, Andre and Lavinia Fabre’s Anakova, Carlos and Yann Lerner’s Godspeed, with James Doyle on top, and Gerald Mosse’s Gaga Girl, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, make up the home team. Green Spirit has the best form.

Conclusion

Green Spirit was a good two-year-old, winning her first four. She got to within a length of Diamond Necklace in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on her last juvenile start. Evolutionist beat her on her comeback run in April, and she finished third in the G1 Poule d’Essai Des Pouliches to Diamond Necklace, where she came from a long way back. She didn’t see out the trip over 10f in the G1 Prix Diane last time out. Neither did Evolutionist, and a return to this 1m trip is a positive for both.

It’s hard to make a case for Anakova, Godspeed, and Gaga Girl. who would all have to run personal bests to get involved here.

Moon Target shaped well in the Coronation Stakes on her first run this season and will come on for the run.

This is likely to be a match between Blue Bolt and Precise.

Blue Bolt got first run and was well able to concede weight to Precise and Evolutionist in the Falmouth. Precise will have to be ridden more forward if she is to have a chance of turning the tables. She was closing, and this flatter track will be in her favour.

Green Spirit is better judged on her French Guineas run; she offers value. She can run into a place.

Recommendation

1. Blue Bolt

2. Precise

3. Green Spirit 14/1 ew