French 2000 Guineas Preview: Spotify can call the tune for Ferland

By Adam Houghton — published 12th May 2017

Adam Houghton previews the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Deauville on Sunday and recommends an each-way bet at a big price.

The Gurkha was an explosive winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains 12 months ago, providing trainer Aidan O'Brien with a fourth victory and bringing an end to the dominance of French yards in their equivalent of the 2000 Guineas. Indeed, French trainers had won every renewal of the classic since O'Brien last struck with Astronomer Royal in 2007 and appear to hold a strong hand once more here, with the experienced Jean-Claude Rouget and Criquette Head-Maarek responsible for the first two in the betting.

National Defense was a smart juvenile in 2016 and signed off for the year with a dominant victory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere at Chantilly last October. That form is the best on offer in this line-up and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his seasonal debut in the Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte. He found the exciting Al Wukair too strong on the day, but shaped as if the return to this longer trip would be in his favour, and the winner boosted the form when a good third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last time.

Rouget's problems this spring have been well-documented (read more in our Poule d'Essai des Pouliches preview), but Brametot gave the handler reason to smile when running out an impressive winner of the Prix de Fontainebleau at Chantilly last month. The son of Rajsaman showed improved form to take his record to four wins from five starts that day, despite losing plenty of ground at the start, and ultimately did extremely well to score by two and a half lengths. It was difficult not to be impressed with the manner of that success and he commands plenty of respect for the same connections as last year's Pouliches winner, La Cressonniere.

The Prix de Fontainebleau was run in a much quicker time than the Prix de la Grotte 45 minutes later, however, and there is a suspicion that the leaders set the race up for Brametot. Spotify deserves extra credit in the circumstances, having raced enthusiastically in the leaders' slipstream from the outset. Those exertions appeared to take their toll as he weakened in the closing stages, but he still wasn't beaten far in third and could potentially get closer to the winner if settling better in the early stages. He is beautifully-bred (half-brother to smart performers Attendu and Impassable) and looks worth a small each-way bet for the Wertheimer brothers, who owned and bred the 2008 winner, Falco.

Orderofthegarter and Peace Envoy make up the Ballydoyle squad here and the former is certainly of interest, having run out an impressive winner of his most recent outing in the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial. That represented by far the best effort of his career to date and he remains with potential after just four starts, although it is an obvious concern that Ryan Moore seemingly prefers Peace Envoy. Last year's Anglesey Stakes winner was only fourth on his seasonal debut in the Tetrarch Stakes at Naas and has plenty to find on form.

The William Haggas-trained Rivet has less to prove, having shown enough to suggest he retains all of his ability when second on his return to action in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket. He was below his very best form that day, but should be seen to better effect back on a flat track here (also disappointed in the Dewhurst Stakes on the Rowley Mile last October) and looks sure to play a hand if building on the smart effort he produced when winning last year's Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. Kings Gift, Salsabeel and South Seas complete the British challenge, but a significant step forward from all three is required to figure here.

Finally, the Andre Fabre-trained pair Inns of Court and Le Brivido are each unbeaten in two starts and come under the 'could be anything' category. They are entitled to respect if only because Fabre has seen fit to pitch them in at the deep end here, but the winner is fancied to come from one of the more established trials.