Longchamp Monday Racing Tips And Preview
Longchamp Monday Racing Tips by Dave Stevos
Strung out horse racing fans in Ireland and the UK will have to wait a bit longer to get their fix. Thankfully, the French have given the green light for racing to return and the card at Longchamp on Monday is a stacked one. With four Group races and a Listed race, as well as some big field handicaps, there is something there for everyone. Dave Stevos has previewed all four pattern races for the TXMarkets blog. Check out his free Longchamp Monday racing tips below…
Longchamp Monday Racing Tips: 9.55am – Prix de Saint-Georges (Group 3)
You couldn’t ask for a much better race to return with, although it is an early start! This Group 3 sprint has attracted a field of 10 runners and the ground is very soft. Given the circumstances most of these horses haven’t had a recent run. Most are making their seasonal bows, including Batwan. He is having his first run for exactly a year since finishing 2nd in this on heavy ground. His conqueror by a neck that day was Sestilio Jet and he is the 3/1 favourite to repeat the trick.
However, at a bigger price Tour To Paris could go well for Soumillon and Mme Pia Brandt. This 5yo son of Fuisse has had just one start on very soft ground. That resulted in a career best listed win over 5.5f at Maisons-Laffitte. He beat the 116 rated The Right Man by a nose off level weights that day. He just lasted home and this drop back to the minimum distance and return to softer ground could spark a return to form. This horse is 2/2 at shorter than 6f and 1/1 on very soft ground. At odds of 14/1 Tour To Paris is the e/w pick.
LONGCHAMP MONDAY TIPS: TOUR TO PARIS E/W @ 14/1 NB
Longchamp Monday Racing Tips: 11.55am – Prix de Fontainebleau (Group 3)
Victor Ludorum will be many people’s banker of the day and it is hard to disagree. A Group 1 course and distance winner on identical ground last season, this 3yo has a 100% record after 3 starts. He beat Armory into 3rd here in that Group 1 last September and he was runner up to Pinatubo in the National Stakes at the Curragh. A son of Shamardal, he has already beaten a few of his opponents in this field. To be honest, it is hard to see anything reversing the form. He looks a worthy odds on favourite at around 4/6.
Helter Skelter was the big eyecatcher behind Victor Ludorum in that Group 1 and he is 4/1. He gave the impression that he needed further though and he could be more interesting over 10f+. An interesting one at a big price is The Summit. Like Helter Skelter this colt is by Wootton Bassett. He has only finished out of the frame once in four turf starts. He handles soft ground and his two runs over a mile yielded form figures of 12.
The 2nd came last time out in an 8f Listed heat at Saint Cloud when he was beat a head on heavy by Pisanello. That horse re-opposes here and I think that if The Summit gets a clearer passage here he can reverse that form. Whether that will be good enough to win is another matter. However, at 28/1 he should give each way players a run for their money.
LONGCHAMP MONDAY RACING TIPS: THE SUMMIT E/W @ 28/1
Longchamp Monday Preview: 12.25pm – Prix de la Grotte (Group 3)
Next up is another 8f Group 3, this one for the 3yo fillies. A total of 10 will go to post and two are battling it out for favouritism at the head of the market. Mickael Barzalona and Andre Fabre team up again with Tropbeau and she is a best price of 5/4. By Showcasing, this filly loves soft ground and she is 2/2 on ground without good in the description, both Group races. Her chief threat looks to be Khayzaraan who is trained by another French legend, Freddie Head. She is a beautifully bred daughter of Kingman out of a Dubawi mare but worryingly, all her form has come on good ground. This represents a big step up in class too. With very soft ground forecast I think she is best watched at odds of 15/8.
Four of the remaining eight runners are by Siyouni and he is a sire with a much better strike rate on decent ground. One that could be interesting on her second run on proper soft ground is Secret Time. She is by Camacho, a sire with a decent record on soft and she has placed Group 3 form over C&D on good to soft. She didn’t back that up when fav on her final start of the season on very soft but she could be worth giving another chance to. At odds of 33/1 Secret Time is the each way pick.
LONGCHAMP MONDAY TIPS: SECRET TIME E/W @ 33/1
Longchamp Tips: 1.05pm – Prix D’Harcourt (Group 2)
The feature at Longchamp on Monday is the Group 2 Prix D’Harcourt and 9 will go to post. This 10f contest is a cracker and Sottsass is the one they all have to beat. He was 3rd behind our old friend Waldgeist in the Arc and that was his only defeat last season, apart from his seasonal return. That has to be a worry for his supporters but there is no doubting he is the class act in this race. The drop in trip won’t bother him and if he is at his best he wins.
However, the fact that two of his three defeats came first time up cannot be ignored and at 8/13 I will be taking him on. At the prices, Syrtis could go well now returned to 10f. A son of Frankel, he ran one of his best races in a Group 3 here last season (10f gd). He has won on heavy and been placed on soft so the ground today will not be an issue. He clearly enjoys running at Longchamp (form figures of 12) and he is in exceptionally good hands. The dam side of his pedigree is all about speed but his sire is a proper stamina influence. at odds of 20/1 he could go very well for Fabre and Barzalona.
LONGCHAMP MONDAY TIPS: SYRTIS E/W @ 20/1
Longchamp Tips: 1.35pm – Fonds Europeen de l’Elevage (Listed)
The final pattern race of the day at Longchamp is a 7f Listed heat for 4yo+ fillies and mares. A field of 13 will line up in the stalls and a few bookies are going 4 places each way. The one I like at a nice each way price in this is Jet Setteuse. This filly is by Makfi and she has a very consistent record on soft ground. She has been highly tried by connections and she has rarely let them down.
Jet Setteuse has form figures of 34004 when there has been good in the ground description or on the all-weather. On soft or heavy it is a different story (2311) and conditions will be right up her street here. She ran a blinder in a similar race over C&D back in October when 3rd and she also ran well on her seasonal comeback last year when 2nd. She looks a big price at odds of 16/1 and with 4 places on offer she is the each way NAP of the day.
