Doncaster – Page 2 – Pattern Racing.Com

The last Group 1’s of the season in Europe will be played out in France with the 1m Criterium International and 1m2f Criterium de Saint-Cloud taking place at Saint-Cloud and in England with the 1m Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes taking place at Doncaster.

Irish horses have strong claims in all three.

Saint-Cloud

Criterium International

Should the first Group 1 of the day, the Criterium International in Paris (Time 12.58 PM), go to Proud and Regal it will boost the form of the National Stakes at the Curragh where Donnacha O’Brien’s colt finished second to his older brother’s Al Riffa.

The form of the race has already been tested internationally with third home, Shartash, (a ½L behind Proud and Regal) and fourth home, Aesop’s Fables (a further 1¼L behind) both having been beaten in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Lonchamp and G1 Dewhurst at Newmarket respectively.

Proud and Regal is improving, he’d been beaten previously by Aesop’s Fables in the G2 Futurity at the Curragh in August so did well to overturn the form with him albeit still falling short. They were both over 7f so the hope here is the step up to a mile will suit.

*Proud and Regal at the Leopardstown for the Tyros Stakes in July*

He’ll have to overcome stern opposition.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s Kubrick beat his father’s Adelaide River in the G3 Prix des Chenes at Longchamp in September and his father also sends Espionage, a winner of a Maiden in September. The most experienced of the field, Breizh Sky, for the father and son team, Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti, is also in the mix on the back of his third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, 2L in front of Shartash.

Criterium de Saint-Cloud

A win for Kubrick will enhance the chances of Adelaide River a half an hour later (Time 1.33 PM) in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. He’ll have to overcome the easy Ffos Las Novice Stakes winner, Arrest, from the John and Thady Gosden yard and Dubai Creek, second in the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes from the Charlie and Mark Johnston yard. Convent Garden, a Tipperary Maiden winner also travels from Ballydoyle.

The form of the fillies will also come into the mix with Gan Teorainn from the Jim Bolger yard trying to follow up on her cracking second in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac.

Doncaster

Doncaster Stakes

Over at Doncaster, (Time 3.00 PM) is the Doncaster Stakes, a listed contest over 6f. Aesop’s Fables will go off favourite. Connections will be hoping the drop in trip to 6f can revive the impression he made in the Futurity where he looked like a proper horse. He’s accompanied by another Ballydoyle inmate Hispanic an 8L winner of a recent Curragh Maiden over 5f which was a big step up on his two previous efforts.

Bayydoyle’s pair will have to contend with John and Thady Gosden’s Bresson who may benefit from a drop in trip from his last outing over 7f when second in a Salisbury Novice Stakes and also Donnacha O’Brien’s Wadao who bombed out in the Cornwallis Stakes last time out having previously won at Listed level over the minimum trip.

*Aesop’s Fables going out to contest the National Stakes*

Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes

Ballydoyle will also have the favourite in the big race, the Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes (Time 3.35 PM). Auguste Rodin won the G2 Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown in impressive style. John and Thady Gosden’s will again provide the main threat in the shape of Episetus who was a neck second in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket. He will be accompanied on the trip from Tipperary by Salt Lake City who was an easy 5l winner of a Navan Maiden earlier this month.

*Auguste Rodin winning the Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown*

It’s a day when Irish two-year-old form will be tested.

It hasn’t stood up internationally yet however today will give us a view on how good it is and will no doubt have an impact of next year’s classic markets particularly the Derby where Auguste Rodin is currently 10/1 market leader.

Recommendations

Criterium International- Proud and Regal 3/1 win

Criterium de Saint-Cloud – Gan Teorainn 6/1 win

Doncaster Stakes – Aesop’s Fables 7/4 win

Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes – Auguste Rodin 5/4 win