France’s answer to the Derby takes place this Sunday, with Big Rock the big favourite for the Group 1 at Chantilly.
Also for 3-year-old colts and fillies, this race is shorter than its English counterpart at 1 mile 2 furlongs. This year, 11 entrants will vie for the crown.
A winner in all four outings since switching to Christopher Head earlier this year, Big Rock has added two Group 3 successes to his career honours and is now the 3.00 favourite with William Hill.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 1st, 11:00 A.M. (BST)
Two runs this April and two wins is the record of Feed The Flame, a supplemented entry who is now second favourite at 5.00. Pascal Bary’s colt was ridden to victory by Christophe Soumillon – last year’s winning jockey – over distances greater than those of Sunday’s race but is yet to be tested in graded company.
Continuous was third among Epsom Derby entrants in York’s Dante Stakes in May after two wins last year, all under Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien. He is right among the favourites at 8.00. Fifth that day under Frankie Dettori was Epictetus (15.00), who was second to Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster last autumn.
Marhaba Ya Sanafi (9.00) has three wins and a second from his last four runs, including the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, though they all came over 1 mile. The only time he ran further was on debut, finishing a career-worst fourth over 1 mile 1 furlong.
Also a 9.00 chance is American Flag who has been racing in Bahrain this year for Allan Smith. The latest of those outings was a victory in the Mazad Cup handicap.
Among the middle order is 13.00 shot Ace Impact for Jean-Clause Rouget, who a month ago won over this course and distance in a listed race. Flight Leader (17.00) needs to bounce back after finishing last of seven at Chantilly in the Prix de Guiche, won by Big Rock.
Only one place better in the Prix de Guiche was Rajapour (21.00), who in April was third to American Flag at Longchamp in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau. Also at 21.00 is Winter Pudding who has won twice from four starts but this is his first graded contest.
Completing the field at a relatively low 26.00 is Padishakh, who has been fourth and second respectively in Big Rock’s latest successes, the Prix la Force and the Prix du Guiche.
