Shantaram is beginning to look like a really useful stayer and won a Group 3 at Newmarket in convincing fashion when last seen in July but the time was very slow and the form hasn't worked out. Pale Mimosa won a Galway maiden on heavy ground by 15l before landing the Listed Galtres Stakes at York though runner-up Sequence has been well beaten since. Many of the home-based entries have been beating each other with Verema having a neck to spare over Canticum over the C&D a month ago and the latter having Smokey Hill just behind earlier. TOP TRIP finished strongly behind Masterstroke in the Group 2 Grand Prix De Deauville in August, looking as though a longer trip was required. He should again take care of Tenenbaum, though Andre Fabre's charge didn't get the best of runs, and is handed the vote in a tricky opener.
Canticum 11-4 (8-9) 2nd of 8, nk behind Verema (8-6) at Longchamp(FR) 1m 7f 3yo Grp 3 (1) gd in Sep.
Shantaram 9-4 (9-0) Tracked leading trio, headway to 3rd over 5f out, went 2nd 3f out, led over 2f out, stayed on strongly, ridden out, won at Newmarket 1m 5f 3yo Grp 3 (1) sft in Jul beating Naseem Alyasmeen (8-11) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
Tenenbaum 4-1fav (8-6) 7th of 11, 7l behind Masterstroke (8-6) at Deauville(FR) 1m 4f Grp 2 (1) gd in Aug.
Smoky Hill (IRE) 6-4fav (8-12) won at Fontainebleau(FR) 1m 7f 3yo stk sft in Aug beating Zagros (8-12) by nk, 5 ran.
Only A Pleasure (IRE) 13-8fav (8-9) 3rd of 8, 1l behind Verema (8-6) at Longchamp(FR) 1m 7f 3yo Grp 3 (1) gd in Sep.
Mysterious Man (IRE) 14-1 (8-6) Held up mid-division, headway over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, one pace, 4th of 16, 6l behind Guarantee (9-4) at York 1m 6f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2) gs in Aug.
Valdo Bere (FR) 14-1 (8-11) 7th of 8, 5l behind Verema (8-6) at Longchamp(FR) 1m 7f 3yo Grp 3 (1) gd in Sep.
Les Beaufs (FR) (8-11) 4th of 6, 4 1/2l behind Aigue Marine (8-8) at Clairefontaine(FR) 1m 4f 3yo lst stk (1) sft in Aug.
Top Trip 4-1fav (8-9) 4th of 11, 1 1/4l behind Masterstroke (8-6) at Deauville(FR) 1m 4f Grp 2 (1) gd in Aug.
Verema (FR) 15-2 (8-6) won at Longchamp(FR) 1m 7f 3yo Grp 3 (1) gd in Sep beating Canticum (8-9) by nk, 8 ran.
Pale Mimosa (IRE) 9-4 (8-8) Tracked leaders, headway to lead over 2f out, kept on well towards finish, won at York 1m 4f fll lst stks (1) gd in Aug beating Sequence (8-8) by 2 1/2l, 7 ran.
