One slight favorite prevailed and a pair of odds-on betting choices floundered as spectator-free racing returned to Longchamp on Monday.
Tropbeau, the narrow choice over Khayzaraan, won the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte by a half-length over Dream and Do, cementing her position as favorite for the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, France’s 1000 Guineas.
German racing restarted last week, which was cool, but England, Ireland, and France are the most important European racing jurisdictions, so Monday marks the return of major European flat racing with several cards across France. Easily the best of them is a 10-race program at Longchamp that includes three stakes, two of which are Group 3 preps for the French 1000 and 2000 Guineas, and the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt, which brings out Sotsass, third-place finisher in the 2019 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and until proven otherwise the leading older horse in France.
Lauda Sion, a 28-1 outsider who was second and third in graded stakes in September and March, recorded a surprise win in Sunday’s Grade 1 NHK Mile at Tokyo Racecourse, catching the champion pacesetter Resistencia in the final furlong.
Resistencia, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2019, could not shake clear of a pesky Lauda Sion and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths as the 2-1 favorite in a field of 18. Gilded Mirror, a filly who was 18-1, finished third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.
The Irish-bred colt Russian Camelot won his Group 1 debut in Saturday’s South Australian Derby at Morphettville creating Australian history as the first Northern Hemisphere-bred to win a derby in Australia.
Russian Camelot faced Southern Hemisphere rivals who are several months older. Russian Camelot was foaled in March 2017, while runner-up Dalasan was foaled in October 2016 and is five months older than the winner.
For an eighth-place finish, Ashman was not beaten far in the Tamworth Cup in Australia on April 26, finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Ligulate in the seven-furlong race.
The loss extended Ashman’s losing streak to four races, but the 4-year-old gelding has every chance to rebound against an easier group in an open handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs, or 1,550 meters, at Murwillumbah Racecourse on Monday.
Think We’re Due has often been a quick horse, particularly when racing at distances of a mile or greater. Lately, Think We’re Due has used that speed for a consistent run of form, winning two of his last three starts in Australia.
A 5-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding, Think We’re Due starts in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles Sunday at Ballarat Racecourse, northwest of Melbourne. Conditions appear to be in his favor.
Owner Peter Brant and his American trainer Chad Brown are playing a waiting game right now. No Keeneland, no New York, and no spring action for elite performers like Sistercharlie. In France, Brant is back in business. Spectator-free racing is set to resume across France on Monday, and at Longchamp, Brant’s 2019 Prix du Jockey Club hero, Sottsass, is expected to make his 4-year-old debut in the Prix d’Harcourt.
The Prix d’Harcourt is one of four group stakes races on the Monday card, which also includes trials for the French 2000 Guineas and the French 1000 Guineas.
Inquiry, a 5-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding, has been a well-traveled sort since his career debut in October 2016 at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.
In his 19-race career, Inquiry has run at 14 tracks for five trainers.
Inquiry seems to have found a home with trainer Jared Wehlow. Since being transferred to Wehlow’s stable early this year, Inquiry has won four consecutive races, a winning streak that could easily be extended when he starts for the first time at Gold Coast Racecourse in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on Friday.
