French Preview: Trop Chaude

The rather subdued nature of Sunday’s racing action in Great Britain and Ireland means that plenty of attention will instead be on the racing taking place over the Channel at Deauville, which is headlined by the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat.

Run over seven furlongs for the first time (it has been a mile contest of late), the Prix Jean Prat for three-year-olds was won by dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow back in 2017, and is in its second year at its new home, having switched from Chantilly 12 months ago.

The runner who heads the market at the time of writing is the British raider Too Darn Hot, who drops back to seven furlongs for the first time this season. Having signed off last October as Timeform’s outstanding two-year-old of 2018 when winning the Dewhurst Stakes, it would be fair to say that this season has been slightly disappointing for Too Darn Hot so far, considering that he was forced to miss the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket through injury, and has since suffered defeat in each of his three outings.

The fact that Too Darn Hot hasn’t grown an awful lot physically over the winter perhaps explains why he hasn’t been able to maintain leadership of his generation this season, but it’s worth pointing out that he has still been performing to a smart level, and has yet to finish outside of the places this term – running as well as he has this year to finish third in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot last time out. Indeed, he sets the standard on the back of that performance here, and with the drop back in trip likely to suit, this looks an excellent opportunity for him to resume winning ways.

Thriller - Circus Maximus and Ryan Moore win the St James's Palace Stakes for trainer Aidan O'Brien! @Ascot #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/qG28iMvtIo

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2019

Making up the six-strong group of British raiders alongside Too Darn Hot are his stablemate Azano, Fox Champion, Watan and the Godolphin-owned pair, Space Blues and Royal Marine.

The biggest threat to the favourite is likely to come from Space Blues, who has progressed in each of his five starts this season. Having made the breakthrough at listed level on Oaks day at Epsom in May, he failed to complete a hat-trick when second in last month’s Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting, but that represented a career-best effort and he deserves his place here – for all that he would probably need to take another step forward for win purposes.

The same can be said for the other John Gosden-trained horse in the race, Azano, who was a game winner of a Group 3 contest over a mile at Chantilly last time out. That was a smart performance, and although he has a good attitude, this will require further improvement. Meanwhile, the front-running German 2000 Guineas winner Fox Champion was unable to dominate when stepped up in class in the St James’s Palace Stakes last time, finishing seventh, and there’s no reason to think that he will be able to reverse that form with Too Darn Hot. Finally, Fox Champion’s stablemate Watan produced a career-best effort to finish third in a listed race at Newmarket last time out, but this is far tougher.

Interestingly, the European challenge is headed not by a French horse, but by a German-trained runner, in the form of Namos. A son of Medicean, he’s had just three starts so far, winning two, and produced a smart effort to win a Group 3 contest at Baden-Baden last month, defeating a Group 1 winner in the process. This demands more, but he is one to consider on his first start outside of Germany with more improvement to come.

Leading the home contingent are Graignes, Pure Zen and Munitions. The last-named is one of two representatives for Andre Fabre (along with Urwald), who has won this race five times. Munitions was well beaten on his most recent outing in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp in May, finishing ninth of ten, but he was a game winner of a Group 3 contest at Maisons-Laffitte prior to that and could be worth another chance here – particularly if the market speaks in his favour.

Graignes produced a much more pleasing effort in the French Guineas, finishing fourth, though he is thoroughly exposed at this level and will likely find at least one too good, while the only filly in the field Pure Zen has finished second behind the promising Obligate the last twice, most recently in a Group 2 contest at Chantilly last month, but would require more here. The field is completed by Urwald and Pretty Boy, both of whom have plenty to find on form with the principals and are best watched.

Conclusion

In summary, it’s difficult to look past Too Darn Hot, who looks to have been found a good opportunity to get off the mark for the season. He hasn’t dazzled as much as he was perhaps expected to this term, but he sets a clear standard here on the back of what he has shown so far this term, and can take advantage of the drop back to seven furlongs and return to winning ways. Fellow British raider Space Blues looks the biggest danger after just falling short in the Jersey Stakes last time out, while it would be no surprise should there be more to come from the German raider Namos after just three starts to date.

Recommendation

Back Too Darn Hot in Sunday’s Prix Jean Prat at Deauville