Prix d'Ispahan live on Sky Sports Racing: Full runner guide and verdict to ParisLongchamp Group One prize

Buckaroo, Anmaat and Light Infantry head to France for Group One Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp on Monday, live on Sky Sports Racing; Erevann leads the home challenge, with Facteur Cheval and Junko completing the field

Monday 29 May 2023 09:36, UK

There is Group One action to enjoy this bank holiday Monday on Sky Sports Racing with the Prix d'Ispahan and Elliot David takes a look through the contenders heading to ParisLongchamp.

Following the victories of superstars in Cirrus Des Aigles and Solow nearly 10 years ago, the Prix d'Ispahan had somewhat slid down the pecking order of European Group Ones as top-level horses opted to head elsewhere.

However, this year offers the chance for a sextet of horses with class in the book to make their breakthrough in the highest echelon of the sport.

1) EREVANN

Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget; Jockey: Cristian Demuro

Like stablemate Vadeni, this superbly bred colt surely had the option of a stud career following his three-year-old season, but the Aga Khan opted to keep both in training. Following a narrow defeat when third in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, trainer Jean-Claude Rouget's remit is clear - to train this son of Dubawi to Group One glory.

Most flat trainers work with a distinct modus operandi. I'd see Rouget's as allowing his big names to put the finishing touches to their preparation and fitness for a big race on the track. You only have to look at Vadeni and the likes of Sottsass and Almanzor before him to see a defeat on reappearance is the norm with bigger targets coming later in the campaign.

With that in mind, his defeat in the Group Two Prix du Muguet on May 1 could look no more than a preparation. That race saw winner Tribalist dictate matters and go somewhat unchallenged in a near carbon copy of the Prix Edmond Blanc over the same course and distance on April 1.

The run of Erevann, who by contrast sat in midfield, was respectable with hindsight and with him closer to 100 per cent fit this time you can expect a big run.

2) ONESTO

NON-RUNNER

3) LIGHT INFANTRY

David Simcock; Jamie Spencer

An overbearing sense of unfinished business has seen this horse return to the tutelage of David Simcock having briefly shipped to join the all-conquering stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in Australia. Rated 120 going into the 2023 campaign, he was tied as the highest-rated progeny of sire Fast Company but has a score to settle now down to 116.

Though seemingly tactically versatile, he has predominantly been ridden patiently, which will come as no surprise given Jamie Spencer has ridden on all eight career starts. His run in the Lockinge last time out seemed to show him short of the tactical speed to challenge when the race heats up in a quick ground Group One mile contest, something that may be against him once more if this is ran at a steady gallop.

That run in particular saw him badly outpaced prior to finishing well for seventh, indicative of a horse who may, as hinted at in last year's Prix Jacques Le Marois, benefit from this extended trip and some cut in the ground.

His career-best run at Deauville on August 14 saw him finish well to battle past Erevann in the closing stages and snatch second. The apparent lack of pace in this contest may necessitate a slight change in tactics for Spencer, with a position closer to the lead likely to benefit this horse given he seems to take some winding up to get into full flow.

4) BUCKAROO

Joseph O'Brien; Oisin Murphy

Underestimate a Joseph O'Brien runner at your peril, as we've seen time after time what the 16-time Group One-winning trainer is capable of.

This son of Fastnet Rock returned with a Listed victory over last year's Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs and though her form tailed off somewhat after Classic glory, his win shouldn't be dismissed as unimpressive. I thought it was quite the opposite, overcoming a 319-day absence to show a great attitude on heavy ground.

While his will to win was a key characteristic of the performance, so was the setup of the race as a steadily run affair turned into what Joseph described as a "sit and sprint" contest.

The tactics required that day may be similar to what we see here with no obvious pace angle and the switch to prominent racing here was a notable change from his previously preferred hold up style, a perfect prep you might say.

We saw Joseph's Above The Curve impressively take Sunday's Prix Corrida and with improvement likely, this horse's chances shouldn't be dismissed lightly.

5) ANMAAT

Owen Burrows; Jim Crowley

Shadwell's progressive five-year-old is just a fourth runner in France for trainer Owen Burrows, who boasts form of third, second and first with his runners across the channel. That record, of course, includes this horse's biggest victory to date, when driven out to rally and hold off Junko in the Group Two Prix Dollar over 10 furlongs at ParisLongchamp on October 1.

His re-appearance run on May 7 in behind Derby hero Adayar, when conceding 5lb, looked an excellent preparation to my eye. That very much continued the upward trajectory of his form, that sees him incredibly yet to finish outside the first three in his 11 career starts.

That profile and Burrows' prowess with both older horses and runners in Group races points to this horse being a key contender.

You can use stablemate Hukum as a case study, having progressed through the grades with age to become the true Group One horse he is now, aged six. It's no shot in the dark to suggest Anmaat could be the latest on that pathway and Burrows' incredible record in Group company last season (58 percent, 7-12) shows a man capable of placing his horses where they stand the best possible chance.

6) FACTEUR CHEVAL

Jerome Reynier; Gerald Mosse

Though he clearly needs to take a step forward on two defeats at the hands of Tribalist so far this season, neither race was seemingly ran to suit Jerome Reynier's four-year-old and given his comfortable victory over the same rival in the Prix Perth on October 22, he can perhaps be forgiven those losses.

That said, he was readily held by Erevann when the pair opposed in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein and on that basis, I'd expect the Rouget colt to reverse the Saint-Cloud form now having blown the cobwebs off on that reappearance. Having shown his best on a truly soft surface, this marginally quicker ground could make this a step too far.

7) JUNKO

Andre Fabre; Maxime Guyon

Despite much promise in his eight starts to date, Andre Fabre's charge is yet to win above Group Three level. On that alone you'd say he's got something to find here, but a replication of his head second to Anmaat in last year's Prix Dollar would put him in the picture despite the Burrows runner being 3lb better off at the weights here.

Andre Fabre's had him in early this year for the Dubai Turf, where the nine-furlong trip and quick ground looked to see the race unfold all too quick for him. This scenario looks much more his bag, but with the improving profile of several of these contenders, he does need to pull out more to trouble the key players.

VERDICT

It would be remiss of me to suggest Erevann doesn't have a huge chance here with the high likelihood we didn't see the best of him. Together with Anmaat, whose relentless progression shows little sign of halting just yet, the pair are the correct market leaders.

I just have a nagging feeling we'll see a steadily run affair here, going against the ideals of plenty of these and having showcased his credentials for a similar scenario already this season I'd be tempted by the chances of BUCKAROO.

Oisin Murphy is back riding with confidence, with most of his winning rides in recent weeks coming when dictating matters from a prominent position and having ridden him at Leopardstown, they retain their partnership here.

In a wide-open renewal, what seems certain is that we're set for a race that may be won and lost in the pre-race tactical planning.