Godolphin has four runners in Prix d’Harcourt at Longchamp

One of the first notable race cards of the European flat season comes Sunday at Longchamp, and Godolphin, at least, is ready for it.

Four of the seven entrants in the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt over about 1 1/4 miles are Godolphin-owned: Charlie Appleby trains Ghaiyyath and Lucius Tiberius, while Nocturnal Fox and Soleil Marin start for trainer Andre Fabre.

Ghaiyyath and Soleil Marin are the interesting pair. Ghaiyyath, a 4-year-old by Dubawi, has made only four starts, his three wins including the Group 3 Autumn Stakes in the fall of his 2-year-old season and the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange on Sept. 22 in his first start since the Autumn Stakes. That last-out French win came over the same trip as the Prix d’Harcourt and over good-to-soft going, which is forecast for Sunday at Longchamp, as well.

Ghaiyyath brims with upside but Soleil Marin holds a recency edge having already raced twice this season. His last-out victory in the Group 3 Prix Exbury, his first in a group race, came over heavy ground that might’ve moved Soleil Marin up.

Also entered is Intellogent, who managed to win the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over about one mile last July 8 but showed little in two subsequent 2018 starts before calling it a campaign in September. The Prix Jean Prat is a one-mile race and Intellogent must not only show he is back to form but that he can stat 1 1/4 miles.

Among the earlier Longchamp races Sunday are the Prix la Force, an early prep for the French 2000 Guineas, and the Prix Vanteux, a stepping-stone to the French 1000 Guineas.