Palace Pier odds-on to repeat in Jacques le Marois

Unbeaten in three leading mile races in England this year, Palace Pier will race in France for the first time since last summer in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville Racecourse, a race with major international implications for the fall.

The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, although the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Oct. 16 at Ascot is another lure for top-class milers.

The $1.17 million Prix Jacques le Marois, which is not open to geldings, will be Palace Pier’s first start since a win at odds of 2-7 by 1 1/2 lengths in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on June 15 at Royal Ascot. Add wins in the 2020 Prix Jacques le Marois and the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury Racecourse west of London in May and it is easy to see why the 4-year-old colt was a 4-5 favorite with British bookmakers on Friday to win France’s richest mile race.

What is missing from Palace Pier’s recent record is a start in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes on July 28 at Goodwood. Palace Pier was declared from the race a week in advance with a blood disorder.

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Trained by the father-son team of John and Thady Gosden, Palace Pier is part of a deep field of eight in the Prix Jacques le Marois. The race drew such a strong field that Order of Australia, the upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland last November, was rated as a longshot on Friday.

Order of Australia was eighth in the Queen Anne, won the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes at seven furlongs at The Curragh in Ireland on July 18, but was only fifth in the Sussex 10 days later.

The Jacques le Marois will be the second start against older horses for Poetic Flare, who has excelled in one-mile races this year. Trained by Jim Bolger, Poetic Flare had a remarkably busy May campaign, with starts in the three leading 2000 Guineas races in western Europe.

Poetic Flare won the English 2000 Guineas on May 1 at Newmarket, finished sixth in the French 2000 Guineas on May 15, and won the Irish 2000 Guineas eight days later.

In his debut against older horses, Poetic Flare was second by 1 3/4 lengths behind Alcohol Free in the Sussex Stakes. Alcohol Free is a notable absentee from the Prix Jacques le Marois, but the race does include the 4-year-old filly Alpine Star.

Alpine Star, trained in Ireland by Jessica Harrington, was a minor stakes winner in her 2021 debut at York Racecourse in England. Last summer, Alpine Star was second by three-quarters of a length to Palace Pier in the Prix Jacques le Marois.