France: Joe Francais favored in Grand Prix de Bordeaux

Joe Francais wasn’t nearly good enough for the 2019 French Derby, but bettors evidently believe he’ll be very competitive in the Grand Prix de Bordeaux.

The Grand Prix de Bordeaux is one of two listed stakes Saturday at Bordeaux le Buscat, which is one of two French racecourses with Saturday programs. Bordeaux’s seven-race program starts at 6:15 a.m. Eastern, while Angers has an eight-race card, mainly jump racing, beginning at 10:15 a.m.

The best racing in Europe on Saturday is in Germany at Baden-Baden, which has a pair of Group 3s on the menu. All three of those tracks are available for live-streaming and wagering at DRFBETS.com.

As for the Grand Prix de Bordeaux, this fixture is contested over 1 3/16 miles, right-handed, over a course listed soft as of Friday. Joe Francais, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, hasn’t raced since the French Derby last summer but owns a November 2018 course-and-distance victory in a stakes race run over very soft turf at Bordeaux le Buscat. As of Friday, he was a 7-4 favorite over seven other entrants, three of whom were priced by English bookmakers between 4-1 and 5-1.