Grand Prix de Paris Preview: O'Brien can restore Order

André Fabre has been champion trainer in France a remarkable 24 times, including when winning the title every year between 1987 and 2007. Fabre's dominance during that period is perhaps best demonstrated by his record in the Grand Prix de Paris, which he won for the first time with Dancehall in 1989 and then repeated the feat a further eight times before Alain de Royer-Dupré won the trainers' championship - and Grand Prix de Paris with Montmartre - in 2008.

Fabre has remained the dominant force in this race with four further victories in the last eight years, however, and will be represented by Parabellum in Friday's 2017 renewal, which is being run at Saint-Cloud for the second consecutive year due to the ongoing redevelopment at Longchamp. Parabellum opened his account at the third time of asking with a most impressive victory over C&D last month and the fact his master trainer is prepared to pitch him at the deep end here is perhaps significant. The runner-up Mondo Bello did little for the form when well held at Clairefontaine next time, however.

Alain de Royer Dupré is responsible for two of the 10 entries, though Valamaz is yet to show anything in his three starts to suggest he is worth his place in a race of this nature, and is possibly in here as a pacemaker for stablemate Shakeel. The last-named won a maiden that has worked out extremely well (second, third and fifth have all won since) at Chantilly in April and has improved further in two subsequent starts in pattern company, including when three lengths third to Called To The Bar in the Prix du Lys (Ice Breeze second, Falcon Wings fourth) over C&D in May. Called To The Bar, who is barred from running here as a gelding, gave that form a boost when second in the Belmont Derby last time, while Shakeel reduced the deficit with Ice Breeze when a head second to that rival in the Prix Hocquart (Falcon Wings third) back at Chantilly last time. Shakeel and Ice Breeze, whose trainer Pascal Bary won this race with Zambezi Sun in 2006, are clearly closely matched on that evidence – there is just 1 lb between them on Timeform ratings - and it is hard to see why Ice Breeze is so much shorter in the betting; both need to improve to trouble the principals on form.

Indeed, Orderofthegarter, one of three in the race for Aidan O'Brien, is 3 lb clear of the field on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and arrives here on the back of a career-best effort in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot. He came from much further back than the winner when half a length second that day and the way he finished his race suggests the step up to this trip will see him in an even better light. Orderofthegarter has held his form well at a high level all season - he also finished two and three quarter lengths sixth to Brametot in the French Derby at Chantilly in June – and he looks overpriced in a contest his trainer has won with Scorpion (2005) and Imperial Monarch (2012). Spanish Steps showed improved form when winning a maiden by 10 lengths at Gowran Park last time and looks worth a try in a higher grade, while Venice Beach cannot be discounted if bouncing back from a below-par effort in the Derby. He appeared unsuited by the undulations of Epsom that day and deserves another chance to confirm the promise of his Chester Vase victory (by one and a quarter lengths from Derby winner Wings of Eagles) in May.

The field is completed by the unbeaten Italian-trained runner Mac Mahon and Mark Johnston's dual Group 2 winner Permian, who was supplemented for this race earlier in the week. The former took his record to four wins from four starts with a dominant victory in the Italian Derby at Rome last time, produced to lead as the field entered the final two furlongs and quickly forging clear thereafter. He should stay this far and is an interesting contender for all that it is difficult to know how his form stacks up with the best of these. Permian was a comfortable winner of the Dante Stakes at York (by three quarters of a length from Benbatl) in May and returned to form after a rare below par effort in the Derby when winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot (by half a length from Khalidi) last time. He should continue to give a good account provided his busy season doesn't begin to take its toll, though another career-best is likely to be needed to win here.

Recommendation:

Back Orderofthegarter in the Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud on Friday 9/1