French Derby - a flash antepost guide to the key runners
- The Anteposter
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
This Sunday will see the Prix du Jockey Club (aka "French Derby") run over 10.5 furlongs at Chantilly racecourse, just north of Paris. Below we provide key information on the principal contenders (including likely/possible supplementees) and their current prices at the time of publication. The list of candidates is not exhaustive and excludes a dozen or so outsiders (33/1 or more) as well as the colts who are deemed extremely unlikely to turn up (Ruling Court, Bowmark, Tycoon). The final declarations and draw will not take place until later in the week. Before the all-important draw and final make-up of the field we are not providing any betting recommendations. Please bear in mind that this is currently an antepost market and therefore non-runner risk would be attached to any wager.
Key runners:
Camille Pissarro (9/2)
Wootton Bassett – Entreat (Pivotal)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Career figures: 111251-13
Excellent juvenile campaign (bar one fast-ground flop at Royal Ascot) topped by G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere win on Arc day over seven furlongs; promising seasonal return against older horses then good third from a bad draw in French 2000 Guineas. Logical favourite, slight question mark for 10.5 furlongs on breeding?
Ridari (13/2)
Churchill – Ridasiyna (Motivator)
Trainer: Mikel Delzangles
Career figures: 21-15
Temperamental type; promising but modest 2yo profile; eye-catching on seasonal debut, coming from well back; again closed well in French 2000 Guineas when still not looking finished article, snatched up just before line otherwise would have been third; should have stamina for this, dangerous.
Cualificar (8/1)
Lope de Vega – Qualify (Fastnet Rock)
Trainer: Andre Fabre
Career figures: 34-111
Unimpressive at short prices in first two starts late in ’24; three straight wins this spring over 9 and 10 furlongs; form of those races looks pretty uninspiring, but no doubt this has been the plan for a while for powerful Godolphin/Fabre connections.
Detain (10/1)
Wootton Bassett – Nisriyna (Intikhab)
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Career figures: 116-16
Looked a super 2yo prospect on the all-weather but got bogged down on soft ground on first try on turf in G1 Futurity at Doncaster last autumn; beat high-class Luther on seasonal debut (all-weather again) then finished a length behind that colt in French 2000. Juddmonte have an extraordinary crop of 3yo colts this year so if they’ve chose this one as their sole arrow for this dartboard it’s worth taking note.
Luther (10/1)
Frankel – Give and Take (Cityscape)
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes
Career figures: 1215-24
Some decent 2yo form but ultimately well beaten in the G2 Royal Lodge (soft ground); bested by just a length by Detain on seasonal return on the all-weather, not having the run of the race, then ran a stormer from a terrible draw in the French 2000 to finish fourth; big player here as long as Paris doesn’t get too much rain in the run-up (could conceivably bypass race if it turns up soft).
Nitoi (12/1)
Siyouni – Lady Zuzu (Dynaformer)
Trainer: Andre Fabre
Career figures: 1-21
Just one 2yo start, an easy win in soft ground over 9 furlongs; beaten a couple of lengths at 2/1 on seasonal return by Uther over this distance at Longchamp; didn’t have to improve to take the listed Prix du Suresnes at Chantilly last time out by a neck from Leffard; form nothing to get excited about but the Wertheimer brothers' leading candidate for this race almost certainly has more upside.
Parachutiste (16/1)
Dubawi – Paix (Muhaarar)
Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard
Career figures: 3-11
Finished third on all-weather at Deauville on sole 2yo start; easy winner of maiden on seasonal debut at Saint-Cloud, then narrow winner of a conditions race at Longchamp (runner-up didn’t frank form next time out upped in grade); no form claims but unexposed and main hope of leading French stable so can hardly be tossed from calculations altogether.
Trinity College (20/1)
Dubawi – Hermosa (Galileo)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Career figures: 94142-12
Like stablemate Camille Pissarro this one gained plenty of juvenile experience but unlike that one has not yet looked top class; won well on seasonal return from stablemate Acapulco Bay in a bog, then just failed to reel in outsider Sea Scout in Blue Riband at Epsom, looking uncomfortable on that track; could well have more to give, so good showing not ruled out (if declared for final field) despite looking clear stable second string.
Leffard (25/1)
Le Havre – Let’s Misbehave (Montjeu)
Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget
Career figures: 112
Won minor race on January debut in South of France; followed that up with a conditions race win at Toulouse in March; proved he belonged at a higher level by finishing just a short neck behind Nitoi in the Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly; promising and worth a try in this but has to take form to a higher level still to compete; on breeding looks like plenty of cut would suit.
Possible supplement candidates:
King of Cities
Dubawi – Ajman Princess (Teofilo)
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Career figures: 312-2
Three decent races in novice company as a 2yo without setting the world alight; much more impressive on sole 3yo start when a 1-length second to Almeric in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, the pair well clear of a decent yardstick in Nightwalker (beaten many lengths less in the Dante Stakes at York, currently taking money as outsider in Epsom Derby market); this is another class level altogether but worth noting that his last start was run in a very fast time and he is set to be supplemented; intriguing.
Green Impact (12/1)
Wootton Bassett – Emerald Green (Galileo)
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Career figures: 211-6
Very promising 2yo, besting Delacroix by a 1.5 lengths in a maiden and going down only narrowly to that rival in a G2 on Irish Champions Weekend; thrown straight into the deep end on seasonal debut, finishing midpack in English 2000 Guineas; dwelt at start there and looked unbalanced on track, so no surprise if he comes back to form with this step up in trip on a flat track; far from clear at the time of writing if he will be supplemented.
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