Unbeaten Henry Longfellow strong choice in French 2000 Guineas

Henry Longfellow, 3 for 3 as a 2-year-old, is one of 13 entered in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas, a one-turn, one-mile contest Sunday at Longchamp.

The likely favorite figures to perform better in this Guineas race than his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate, City of Troy, who finished ninth May 4 as the odds-on choice in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Ryan Moore rides Henry Longfellow, one of two for O’Brien along with Diego Velazquez, who’s not without a chance. Henry Longfellow beat the same horse twice last season winning the Group 2 Futurity and the Group 1 National, both over seven furlongs at The Curragh. But that horse, Islandsinthestream, has talent, and finished second in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

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Henry Longfellow, termed a “fast miler” by O’Brien last fall, won his stakes over good to yielding ground. Longchamp Friday was rated very soft, but a warm sunny weekend should change that.

Ramadan might be considered the leading French hope. The colt didn’t stay 1 1/4 miles in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, finishing fourth, but has gone 2 for 2 in one-mile races this season. A dedicated front-runner trained by Christopher Head, Ramadan on April 14 wired the Group 3 Prix de Fontainbleau, a major Guineas prep at Longchamp.

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The Fontainbleau runner-up, Beauvatier, merits respect. Making his first start of the season, he raced somewhat keenly during the early and middle stages of the Fontainbleau, then appeared to jump a shadow or marks on the course when trying to reel in Ramadan through the final furlong. Group 1-placed at 2, Beauvatier stands to improve Sunday.

The Andre Fabre-trained Alcantor is much better than his sixth-place finish April 18 in the Craven at Newmarket. The colt relaxed and finished with verve when second last fall in the Group 1 Criterium International but pulled relentlessly in the Craven. Regular rider Mickael Barzalona returns to the saddle.

Lightly raced Keran was kept to provincial racing by trainer Jean-Claude Rouget before a solid second last month in the Group 3 Prix Djebel, where he appeared to tire in deep stretch. John and Thady Gosden enter a sleeper, Orne, off a series of all-weather races.

Romantic Style, trained for Godolphin by Charlie Appleby, with William Buick to ride, looks formidable in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the French 1000 Guineas. The burly chestnut filly won her last two starts at age 2 and made her 3-year-old debut April 9 in the Prix Imprudence at Deauville. Traveling smoothly, Romantic Style came off cover with a quarter-mile to run, easily made the lead, and held off Ramatuelle by a half-length, winning with something to spare. Ramatuelle returned to finish a very close third of 18 in the English 1000 Guineas.

Two fillies with American ties also participate. Content, trained by O’Brien, closed like a rocket from last to finish a good fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. And Louise Proctor, a homebred owned by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm, brings a 3-for-3 record into her group stakes debut for Rouget.

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