Coronet is no stranger to successful cross-Channel raids, so appeals most in the 1m 2f Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet on Prix Morny day at Deauville on Sunday (15:25).
Trained by the in-form John Gosden, it looks significant that the five-year-old grey mare runs here and not in the Yorkshire Oaks for the third consecutive year.
Her handler has incredible strength-in-depth among the females in his Newmarket yard. In Coronet, Gosden has the game winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud when last in action.
This daughter of her Dubawi has won five of her 16 career starts and run some solid races in defeat.
They include when chasing home stable companion Enable in the 2017 Yorkshire Oaks and when filling the same spot behind Sea Of Class in that race last year.
Coronet then went on to finish a length runner-up to Magical in the Group 1 for fillies and mares on British Champions Day at Ascot. As she was giving the winner 6lb weight-for-age, it was a massive effort.
She came on massively for her reappearance run at Newmarket in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes when wearing down Ziyad to score by a short-neck at Saint-Cloud last time out.
As Coronet is two from three over the 10-furlong trip of this, and main market rival With You hasn’t won beyond a mile, she appeals most at 9/4 with Coral for another British victory in the Prix Jean Romanet.
Golden Horde each-way value in Prix Morny
A quality renewal of the 6f Prix Morny for juveniles is the other Group 1 race on this card (14:50), and Golden Horde looks a bit of each-way value at 15/2 with Betfair.
Trained by Clive Cox, this improving Lethal Force colt had excuses when a two-length fifth to the re-opposing Arizona in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Regular jockey Adam Kirby dropped his reins at a key stage in the race and had to gather Golden Horde up again. Given how the race panned out, it was a fine effort to get so close.
Golden Horde showed he was better than that last time out when reversing form with the runner-up Threat in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
He prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a sustained duel with that one, asserting close home.
The BHA handicapper has Golden Horde up to a mark of 113 – as high as anything else with a rating from them in this – on the back of that effort.
Granted further improvement, hitting the frame is not beyond him if reproducing that Goodwood run in France. The other market principals in the Prix Morny this year are tightly grouped together betting wise.
Arizona swerved the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh and a clash with Siskin to run here. The Coventry Stakes winner, trained by Aidan O’Brien, impressed at Royal Ascot when beating Threat by half-a-length.
Golden Horde may have improved past that one since, however, and thus appeals more at the odds on offer. He looks overpriced in relation to Arizona, whose sire No Nay Never admittedly won the Prix Morny in 2013.
Earthlight defends unbeaten record in Prix Morny
Godolphin have the undefeated Earthlight at the head of the betting at 11/4 with Betfred here after a facile course and distance success in Group 3 company last time out.
That landed the hat-trick for the Andre Fabre trained son of Shamardal who, on a strict form line through Dubai Station, should have the beating of another Royal Ascot winner in A’Ali.
Earthlight was 4 1/2 lengths in front of the third who previously filled the same spot when beaten three lengths in the Norfolk Stakes.
A’Ali has since made a successful cross-Channel raid here in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin for trainer Simon Crsiford over an extended 5f.
He was well on top at the finish and value for more than the winning margin of three-quarters of a length.
With a further step up in trip holding no fears based on the pedigree of A’Ali, there are only two reasons to oppose him here. The first is using the aforementioned Dubai Station as a form marker.
Second, Frankie Dettori ditches A’Ali to ride Queen Mary Stakes heroine Raffle Prize. Mark Johnston’s filly comes to the Prix Morny on the back of a hat-trick.
After bolting up by five lengths at Chester and then scoring by a head at Royal Ascot, Raffle Prize won again in Group 2 company getting the better of old rival Daahyeh at Newmarket.
This daughter of Slade Power made most and won readily by 1 3/4 lengths. She is clearly well worth a crack at the highest level and gets a 4lb sex allowance now back against the colts.
Connections are wise to exploit the Prix Morny race terms and Raffle Prize is well worth considering too at 4/1 with William Hill now back against the boys.
Marmelo can regain Prix Kergorlay crown
In what looks to be a weak renewal of the 1m 7f Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (16:00), 2017 race winner Marmelo is fancied to take this event for a second time.
Trained by Hughie Morrison, the six-year-old son of Duke Of Marmalade is a regular in French races.
Marmelo was unlucky not to resume winning ways last time out after previously finishing a fine four-length fifth to Coronet in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
That 1m 4f trip was arguably too sharp for him, but the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil at Longchamp was more like it.
French stewards threw out an appeal from connections when Marmelo got impeded inside the final couple of furlongs, but still finished with a real rattle.
He went down by a nose to Way To Paris and just failed to get up before the line. As Marmelo was over four lengths in front of Call The Wind and now meets that re-opposing rival off 4lb worse terms, he has nothing to fear.
With a course record of 2212, Marmelo is usually there or thereabouts at Deauville.
The opposition doesn’t look up to much and his form last season, including when a length runner-up to Cross Counter in the Melbourne Cup, is the most consistent on offer.
Marmelo even won on reappearance over 1m 4f at Newbury in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes. Races from a mile-and-three-quarters up to 2m are his bag.
Runs behind former French champion stayer Vazirabad and when giving Holdthaisgreen 2lb in this 12 months ago give Marmelo every chance of regaining his crown.
He is 9/4 with BetVictor to do just that in the Prix Kergorlay, while Palpitator looks the main danger.
