An ultra-competitive renewal of this Group 1 with challengers from the UK and Japan taking on a strong home team. David O'Meara's Mondialiste won the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last year and was successful over this intermediate distance at York but this is a tough return to action. My Dream Boat steps up in class after beating Western Hymn in the Gordon Richards at Sandown but Hong King Cup winner A Shin Hikari is respected on his first start outside the Far East. Dariyan beat Silverwave and Wild Chief in the Prix Ganay at Saint-Cloud at the start of the month but was easily outpointed by subsequent Arc third New Bay over 1m2f at Deauville last year and the latter also beat Erupt in the Prix Niel. However, Andre Fabre also runs the impressive Saint-Cloud winner VADAMOS and he could be the value with this ground and trip probably more in his favour.
New Bay 5-1 (8-11) 3rd of 17, 2 1/4l behind Golden Horn (8-11) at Longchamp 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gs in Oct.
Dariyan (FR) (9-2) won at Saint-Cloud 1m 2f Grp 1 stks gs in May beating Silverwave (9-2) by 1 1/4l, 11 ran.
A Shin Hikari (JPN) 20-1 (8-11) 3rd of 0, 1 1/2l behind A Shin Hikari (9-0) at Hong Kong 1m 2f Grp 1 (1) gd in Dec.
Mondialiste (IRE) (9-0) 12th of 14, 8 3/4l behind Maurice (9-0) at Sha Tin 1m (1) gd in Dec.
Vadamos (FR) (9-1) won at Saint-Cloud 1m Grp 2 stks gs in May beating Ervedya (9-1) by 3 1/2l, 11 ran.
Silverwave (FR) (9-2) 2nd of 11, 1 1/4l behind Dariyan (9-2) at Saint-Cloud 1m 2f Grp 1 stks gs in May.
Erupt (IRE) (8-9) 6th of 18, 2l behind Shonan Pandora (8-9) at Tokyo 1m 4f (1) fm in Nov.
My Dream Boat (IRE) 8-1 (9-3) Held up last, ridden 2f out, headway over 1f out, chasing leaders when not much room and squeezed through inside final furlong, stayed on to lead final 100 yards, soon clear, won at Sandown 1m 2f Grp 3 stks (1) gs in Apr beating Western Hymn (9-0) by 1 1/4l, 7 ran.
Wild Chief (GER) (9-2) 4th of 11, 5 1/2l behind Dariyan (9-2) at Saint-Cloud 1m 2f Grp 1 stks gs in May.
