The weather has played havoc in Europe over the last week and from a very promising list of hopefuls included at declaration stage the Ganay like the ground has cut up. We won’t get a clash between So You Think and Cirrus Des Aigles but at least we get the French gelding to the line. This will be his third run this season having already captured the Sheema Classic when defeating St Nicholas Abbey at Meyden by 3/4 L. The general view was the ride given by Olivier Peslier was the difference at the line. After that run this looks like a penalty kick and no doubt the Pari Mutual will reflect same. He can handle give and has no fitness concerns.

The difficulty is that the track may be deeper than give in the ground. When they raced there last Monday the ground looked bottomless and the penalty kick expected in the Prix Noailles didn’t happen when Hard Dream ran out a surprise winner. That might not matter to Cirrus Des Aigles as he has won at Deauville on very soft and heavy last year.

The main threat comes to him from Reliable Man. Unraced at two he had an excellent season last year winning four from six including the Prix Du Jockey Club and Prix Neil. In the latter he overturned the defeat he suffered when Meandre beat him 4 1/2 L in the Grand Prix De Paris turning the deficit into a 2 L margin of victory. He was considered a leading Arc fancy but as the week into the race drew in it became clear the ground was going to be firm his hopes and price drifted like a barge. In the end he was well beaten just managing to avoid last place. His win at Chantilly in the French Derby was on the soft so he will most likely be as adept at handling the ground as the gelding.

Alain De Royer-Dupre does not rely only on the Man as he also runs Giofra. The mare will only be having her fifth run today having won twice as a three old and impressively on her comeback in the Prix D’Harcourt when accounting for Vadamar by 3 L.

Christophe Soumillon rides the other mare in the race who although a winner of a conditions race at Saint Cloud is taking a considerable step up in class. Saga Dream is also stepping up having a first tilt in Group 1 company though he does have form at Group 2 level having been 7 L behind Giofra in the D’Harcourt.

The five year old Wigmore Hall hit the dartboard at Group 1 level in the Northern Dancer last year at Woodbine . It was a firm surface that saw him extend past Simmard by a neck. He’s a talent horse who has been internationally campaigned with the best and 4 1/2 L off Cirrus in the Singapore Airlines at Krangi will give connections hope . It’s just hard to see how he will handle the ground.

It’s been a week for missed penalty kicks with Messi and Ronaldo fluffing from the spot. The theme may continue here, Alain De Royer-Dupre and jockey Maxine Guyon can take advantage and get Giofra to score.