Prix du Jockey Club: Brametot the one to beat

This weekend also sees the Prix du Jockey Club, often referred to as the French Derby take place at Chantilly on Sunday, though for the first time since 2006, it’s set to have a smaller field than the Derby at Epsom. There are currently 12 declared for Sunday’s race, which is the smallest turnout since Dalakhani won for Alain de Royer Dupre in 2003. The Aga Khan-owned colt went on to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe later that season before being retired to stud.

Whether we see another top-class colt emerge out of this year’s renewal remains to be seen, but it’s hard not to be impressed with the progress Brametot has made this season. Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget – who won this race last year with Almanzor – Brametot has won both of his starts this year in fine style. His win in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Deauville last time, where he had the likes of Rivet and Orderofthegarter in behind, marked himself down as a very smart performer, impressing with the rapid headway he made over three furlongs out, and ultimately, winning with a bit in hand. He is yet to race beyond a mile but he shapes as though the step up in trip will suit. His dam won twice at around 1½m in Germany, and she was a half-sister to the very smart 1½m German performer Monsun, so on both pedigree and run style, he could easily improve again over the extra two furlongs. Brametot is clear on Timeform ratings and he’s very much the one to beat.

Recoletos won the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud in April a shade comfortably by two and a half lengths from Waldgeist to record his third successive win this year. Waldgeist was a hot favourite that day, but there was no fluke about Recoletos’ performance, and he is clearly a colt very much on the up at present. He was supplemented by connections for this race on Wednesday and, still open to improvement, he is a player. Waldgeist was originally being aimed at the Derby at Epsom, but connections made the late decision to stay at home. He won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud last season by a length from Best Solution, who was an impressive winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial last month.

Aidan O’Brien is often well represented in this and he sends three over this year, with War Decree seemingly the first string on jockey bookings. He was a near-smart two-year-old last year (won Vintage Stakes), and was well backed ahead of his return in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket, but put in a poor display beating only one rival home. He’s on a retrieval mission now, but he should stay this far – although it’s not guaranteed on breeding – and it would be folly to rule him out on just his fifth career start. Orderofthegarter and Taj Mahal are O’Brien’s other representatives. The former won his first two starts of the season, proving himself smart when winning the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial in April by over three lengths from Taj Mahal. However, he made hard work of the step up to Group 1 company when nine-lengths fifth to Brametot last time, and there’s no reason why he should reverse that form. Taj Mahal failed to land the odds in a minor event at Gowran last time and looks to be out of his depth in this company.

Godolphin won this race in 2005 with Shamardal and Charlie Appleby has declared Bay of Poets and D’Bai. Bay of Poets has shown improved form to finish runner-up on both his starts this year, though he was doing all his best work at the finish in the Dee Stakes at Chester last time, and he looks ready for a sterner test. D’Bai, on the other hand, was most disappointing when well held behind Waldgeist in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud last season, the only time he has gone further than 1m. He did run well on his reappearance in a listed race at Saint-Cloud recently, but this is a much tougher task.

Like Recoletos, Prix Noailles winner Soleil Marin was also supplemented on Wednesday, and though he has won his last five starts, he still has quite a bit to find on form, and looks vulnerable from a win perspective. Plumatic is trained by the legendary Andre Fabre, so it says plenty that he is taking his chance on just his third start, but he too has something to find on form, and may find this coming too soon in his development.

Recommendation:

Back Brametot at 15/8 in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly