French Preview: To The Bar is always the correct answer

The Prix Royal-Oak has been won by some high-class stayers in recent years, including four-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats and Alain de Royer Dupre’s talented-yet-quirky Vazirabad. There doesn’t appear to be any standout candidate in this year’s renewal, but it looks an interesting puzzle to solve nonetheless, and features some British challengers.

Holdthasigreen won the race 12 months ago – when it was run at Chantilly – and bookmakers have installed the seven-year-old as favourite to retain his crown. He arrives in great form, too, having recently won the Prix du Cadran on Arc weekend, when he dictated his own fractions and was always holding on after kicking for home three furlongs out. The drop back in distance to a mile and seven furlongs isn’t an issue, given he has twice won over this trip, including in a Group 3 over this C&D earlier this season, and he has to be high on the shortlist.

What a grand old stayer! Holdthasigreen wins the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Cadran under Tony Piccone for Bruno Audouin at @paris_longchamp… pic.twitter.com/aHT2eAbtno

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 5, 2019

Freddy Head remains the leading jockey in this race with six wins, but he has yet to win it as a trainer. His representative Call The Wind beat Holdthasigreen by one and a quarter lengths in last year’s Prix du Cadran, but had the roles reversed this time. Admittedly, Call The Wind wasn’t seen to best effect the way the race panned out (left with too much to do) and he ran creditably to take second inside the final furlong without threatening the winner. Olivier Peslier takes over in the saddle now, and expect this relatively lightly-raced five-year-old to be much better positioned this time.

The Martyn Meade-trained Technician, who seems to be improving all the time, is one of only two three-year-olds in the field. He finished sixth in the St Leger at Doncaster, but got back on the up when winning the Prix Chaudenay on testing ground here on Arc weekend. Technician stayed on strongly there, suggesting that this extra furlong will be well within his compass, so he shouldn’t be underestimated, for all this will require another career best.

What a day for @PCBOUDOT! Technician wins the Group 2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay for @MMeadeRacing at @paris_longchamp, giving the jockey a fourth win on the card… pic.twitter.com/Ni4cz2dOlT

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 5, 2019

Lah Ti Dar is the only filly amongst the line-up, and hasn’t much to find with the principals on form, with her fourth-place finish to stablemate Anapurna in the Prix de Royallieu over a mile and a half here last time putting her right in the mix. She stayed on at the one pace in the closing stages on that occasion, and is worth a try at this longer trip, but she hasn’t been at her best this season so is hard to recommend, despite this not looking the strongest Group 1.

The consistent Called To The Bar finished three quarters of a length second to Holdthasigreen in this last year, and looked at least as good as ever when completing back-to-back wins in the Prix Gladiateur over this C&D last time. He landed the odds with a bit in hand, leading over a furlong out and always doing enough, appealing as the type who can make his mark at the top level under the right circumstances. Connections have likely saved him for another crack at this (followed the same path last year), and he has more upside than Holdthasigreen, so makes some appeal at the prices.

Comfortable… Eighth in the Gold Cup behind Stradivarius, Called To The Bar wins back-to-back Group 3 Prix Gladiateurs under @MaxSamGuyon for Pia Brandt at @paris_longchamp pic.twitter.com/uLSjmK9O93

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 8, 2019

The other Group 1 on the card – the Criterium International – has been a good stomping ground for both British and Irish trainers who have won each of the last four renewals (there was no race in 2017). This year’s edition looks a straightforward race to assess, with the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wichita likely to be sent off a short-priced favourite and take plenty of beating. He sets the bar very high on his Tattersalls Stakes form at Newmarket, and he wasn’t disgraced when third to Pinatubo in the Dewhurst Stakes last time.

Recommendation:

Back Called To The Bar at 4/1 in the Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp on Sunday