Prix du Jockey Club: Value lies with locals at 10/1 and 50/1

The first of this week's forfeit stages for the Prix du Jockey Club saw a field of 25 remain in contention for this year's "French Derby", to be run over 10.5 furlongs at Chantilly racecourse on Sunday 31 May. There were no great surprises, although the obvious talking point for the British and Irish media was that Constitution River was left in the race....for now at least. It would hardly be surprising if "The Lads" were still agonizing over the final Epsom vs. Chantilly decision for a horse that many consider to be the most promising 3-year-old colt residing at Ballydoyle.

Rather than wait on that decision we want to get involved now, not least as fourth favourite Hankelow looks to be a major participation doubt given the current heat wave. Mindful that the "home team" have taken seven of the last ten runnings of the Prix du Jockey Club, we are very keen on two Chantilly-based horses who look mispriced on their racecourse achievements.. And that's even if Constitution River does make the gig.

Let's start with a talented colt who is completely off the media radar on this side of La Manche, namely Pearled Majesty at a hefty 50/1.

This son of Persian King is owned by his trainer Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez in partnership with Criquette Head, who knows all about top-level success at Chantilly thanks to three wins in the Prix Diane (including with a filly named Treve) and one in the Prix du Jockey Club (Bering).

Pearled Majesty can hardly be said to have dazzled in his three-race juvenile season. He was well beaten at a big price on debut at Longchamp (beaten 7.5 lengths over 8f, soft), ran rather better next time out at another big price at Compiegne (beaten just under four lengths into third over 9.5 furlongs, soft), until finally breaking through and winning a conditions race on the all-weather at Chantilly. That last race has at least thrown up multiple winners since.

But it's the exploits of this colt this season that have piqued our interest. Two runs, and both eyecatchers in their different ways:

• Prix Gris Perle, 10 March, ten furlongs, Saint-Cloud, soft: Andre Fabre's Seneque was supposed to take all the beating here at 7/4, but was comprehensively outclassed by Pearled Majesty, who passed the post three lengths to the good. Delcher-Sanchez: "He did it easily. He’s always done everything with ease. However, I feel he’s more mature now. As a two-year-old, he used to confuse speed with haste. He still has plenty of drive, but has become a little more manageable. He continues to improve and is getting better and better. We’re still dreaming." It's worth noting that the vanquished Seneque would go on to finish a much closer second on his next start to the Aga-Khan-silked Dolmalan, who is trading at between 14/1 and 16/1 for this race.

  
  

• G3 Prix Noailles, 12 April, 10.5 furlongs, Longchamp, good: the same betting market set-up with a heavy 7/4 favourite (in this case Joseph O'Brien's Hardy Warrior), but once again it was Pearled Majesty who emerged as the class act, leading from pillar to post in a change of tactical style. Nor was it case of stealing the race from the front: the fractions were honest and the time was fast (second-fastest edition of the race in the last decade). What's more, the sectional data for Pearled Majesty compares very favourably to key horses in a number of other high-grade races on the card, including the two French Guineas trials over shorter distances (Prix de Fontainebleau, Prix de la Grotte). Delcher-Sanchez: "The most pleasing thing is the way he picked up and sprinted after being obliged to make the running. The moment Christophe asked him to put the race to bed, he really stretched and accelerated. He's confirmed what we hoped he might be today against a field of Classic hopefuls. He also showed he stays."

  
  

Pearled Majesty's Timeform rating is now 107 – well short of Constitution River (124p) but not a million miles off Hawk Mountain (114p) and Poulains runner-up Komorebi (115). But most strikingly, he has a much higher rating than current third-favourite Daryzan (94p), whose betting market position for the Prix du Jockey Club surely owes more to his famous trainer (Graffard), owner (Aga Khan Studs) and brother (Daryz) rather than his humble – albeit visually impressive – racecourse exploits.

All that said, he is neither a likely winner nor a very strong place chance. But in our view 50/1 is very wrong on both counts.

Talking of Komorebi, this Fabre runner is also surely overpriced too in double-figure territory (10/1). The case for this colt is very simple: he has twice proved himself a top-class 3-year-old, emerges as the classiest runner in the field (after Constitution River) on Timeform ratings, and appears to love a battle. Moreover, his close Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) second to Rayiv – ahead of Puerto Rico among others – can be marked up on the basis that he came from much further back than the other first-five finishers. Pinatubo has sired numerous progeny who stay further than he did, Street Cry provides an obvious source of stamina on the dam side, and Fabre himself is optimistic his colt will be fine over the French Derby trip. Komorebi is overpriced as a win bet but hugely so for the place part of an each-way play.

Recommendations for Prix du Jockey Club, Sunday 31 May:

Back Komorebi each-way at 10/1 with William Hill, Paddy Power or Skybet. 9/1 would also be acceptable.

Back Pearled Majesty each-way at 50/1 with Paddy Power or Skybet. 40/1 with Unibet also acceptable.