English Guineas winners look to double up in France

A pair of Ireland-based colts who last raced in England top the 12 entrants in Sunday’s Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas, to be run Sunday at Longchamp.

Poetic Flare, trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger, won the English 2000 Guineas on May 1 at Newmarket. No horse in the modern era has managed to win both the English and French versions of the 2000 Guineas. Poetic Flare won two weeks ago going down the straight course at Newmarket over good-to-firm going; Sunday, he races around a bend over a course that was called good to soft as of Friday.

His main rival, at least in the betting markets, is St Mark’s Basilica, based in Ireland with trainer Aidan O’Brien and unraced since capturing the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes over a straight seven furlongs last October at Newmarket. Pierre-Charles Boudot had been booked to ride St Mark’s Basilica before being indicted on a rape charge this week, and in his stead, Ioritz Mendizabal has the mount. St Mark’s Basilica had a five-race 2020 campaign, running by far his best race of the season in the Dewhurst after checking in third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in the National Stakes at The Curragh.

The 2000 Guineas did nothing to flatter St Mark’s Basilica, however, as Dewhurst runner-up Wembley finished 11th and Dewhurst third Thunder Moon, who won the National, checked in last of 14.

Poetic Flare, bred by Bolger and owned by his wife, Jackie, got nothing in the Dewhurst, where he was 10th, but has won both his starts at 3, handles various course conditions, and should race very competitively Sunday.

The leading French hopes appear to be Policy of Truth and Sealiway, one-two last month in a local Poulains prep, the Prix de Fontainebleau.

Thirty-five minutes after the Poulains (post time 9:50 a.m. Eastern; wagering and live video at DRFBets.com) comes the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the French 1000 Guineas, run over the same distance but restricted to 3-year-old fillies. O’Brien has the antepost favorite Mother Earth, who posted a one-length upset May 2 in the English 1000 Guineas. Ridden last out by Frankie Dettori, Mother Earth this time gets the services of Christophe Soumillon. Mother Earth finished second to front-running Aunt Pearl making the last of her eight 2-year-old starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Philomene, in stark contrast, makes only her third start in the Pouliches but looks formidable for trainer Andre Fabre, Goodolphin, and jockey Mickael Barzalona. Philomene might prove better suited to the longer trip of the Prix de Diane, the French Oaks, but in her lone start at age 2 she was able to get up going one mile. The filly, by Dubawi, clearly possesses high-level ability.

Also entered is Sweet Amulet, who finished third in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf in her most recent race. Lullaby Moon, who ships from England, and France-based Sweet Lady have come in with some antepost wagering support, as well.