More questions than answers following unsatisfactory French Classics at Longchamp
Firstly, though, the opening French Classics of the season returned home to the newly-refurbished Longchamp on Sunday and both the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr 1, 1600m) and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Gr 1, 1600m) were marred by controversy with Christophe Soumillon, who finished third aboard Dice Roll (Showcasing) in the former, staunchly criticising the condition of the track after the race, resulting in an eleventh-hour switch of the latter to the Grande Piste (outer track), the course used for the running of the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) but not usually the Classics given the close proximity of the first bend to the 1600 metre start.
Both races proved unsatisfactory in many respects and the form looks well shy of the English equivalents run the preceding weekend. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Olmedo (Declaration Of War) finished runner-up behind Wootton (Wootton Bassett) in the Prix de Fontainbleau (Gr 3, 1600m) last month but he reversed that form in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, running on close home to land the spoils in a three-way photograph. Wootton finished fourth having proved less tractable than before under a more patient ride, spoiling his chances with a free-going manoeuvre three furlongs from home, and the Racing Post Racing of 115 allocated to the winner suggests he has barely had to improve on his trial effort to secure victory here.
The Poule d’Essai des Pouliches was run at a sedate tempo and produced a blanket finish as a result, with the David Simcock-trained Teppal (Camacho) showing vastly improved form to step up from a novice stakes (7f) success at Kempton last September to win by a short neck. However, she was well positioned off the modest early fractions and despite having to angle for room rounding the home bend, was better suited by how this was run than some, not least the fast-finishing Wind Chimes (Mastercraftsman) in third. It remains to be seen how good this form is.
Kachy could be the perfect candidate for the Moir Stakes
In Britain, the tight turns of Chester are the closest European equivalent to the idiosyncratic test of Moonee Valley and the manner in which the Tom Dascombe-trained Kachy (Kyllachy) pulverised his seven rivals in conditions company (5f) at the course on Friday suggests connections would not be out of place considering their five-year-old for a tilt at the A J Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) in September should they wish to take a more unorthodox route than is customary with European-trained sprinters.
Early speed and the ability to travel off an unrelenting gallop have always marked Kachy down as a high-class performer and he has some excellent pieces of form to his name, including a runner-up effort behind Quiet Reflection (Showcasing) in the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot as a three-year-old.
However, this victory was a clear career-best effort under a 6lb penalty as Kachy burst into an early lead from the widest draw in stall eight and continued to saunter further clear from the half-way marker, eventually winning by an eased-down nine lengths from two rivals who had raced well off the early pace as those who tried to live with Kachy in the opening exchanges fell away significantly.
Even if a number of the principles did not perform to their best, this was still a performance of Group One calibre backed up by a fast time and these conditions – sprinting over the minimum trip around a bend – brought out the very best in the lightening-fast Kachy. While he will always be susceptible to a finisher returned to a straight course, he possesses the necessary toolkit to prove a top-flight performer under more suitable circumstances in Australia, with the short straight at Moonee Valley likely to play to his strengths.
Melbourne Cup plan for Idaho?
Aidan O’Brien enjoyed a fruitful three days at Chester, saddling three winners, and he might have unearthed another legitimate Melbourne Cup contender in the shape of Idaho (Galileo), who ran out a comfortable winner of the Ormonde Stakes (Gr 3, 1m5.5f) on Thursday.
A brother to O’Brien’s now-retired globetrotter Highland Reel (Galileo), Idaho did not have to produce his very best form to account for the penalised Danehill Kodiac (Kodiac) by three and a half lengths, running to a RPR of 116, but he proved his stamina for the trip on his second start beyond 2400 metres, receiving a fine ride by Ryan Moore, who navigated an early position onto the heavily-favoured inside rail before producing his mount to lead at the cut-away.
Despite finishing third in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m4f) at Ascot last season, Idaho looks just below the level required to win in Group One company over that trip and connections have mooted the idea of stepping him up to extreme distances by handing him an entry in the Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2m4f) at Royal Ascot, the race won by stable companion Order Of St George (Galileo) in 2016.
Although Idaho has yet to place in five starts outside of Europe there have been mitigating circumstances on a number of occasions, and he has achieved significantly more in European form terms than Johannes Vermeer (Galileo), who O’Brien trained to finish third in the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 1m4f) prior to running second in the Melbourne Cup last year.
Barsanti stamps his authority at Ascot
Idaho accounted for the Roger Varian-trained Barsanti (Champs Elysees) by half a length when winning the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) at Royal Ascot in 2017 and the latter made a successful return to the track over the same course and distance when winning the Buckhounds Stakes (Listed, 1m4f) on Saturday.
In beating the 110-rated Mirage Dancer (Frankel) by a neck, Barsanti was not required to produce his peak form on this his first outing since July, but he showed a good attitude to fend off the runner-up following a protracted dual up the home straight.
Barsanti held entries in both the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup last season and while his two starts over 2800 metres have suggested that trip is a little beyond his optimum, he has certainly shown the requisite level of form to be a very live contender in the Caulfield Cup should connections consider that route again this year.
Success Days returns from Randwick
Finally, there were two performances of note on Monday as Success Days (Jeremy) returned to form to finish second in the Moorebridge Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2f) at Naas having run last behind Winx (Street) in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) 23 days earlier, while the Hugo Palmer-trained Employer (Camelot) won a novice stakes (1m) at Windsor on his second racecourse outing.
Employer is a half-brother to Magic Hurricane (Hurricane Run), who was a useful middle-distance handicapper in Britain for James Fanshawe before developing into a very smart performer when transferred to the care of John O’Shea at the end of his four-year-old season, winning the Metropolitan Handicap (Gr 1, 2400m) at Randwick in 2015.
Employer has some way to go before he matches the exploits of his sibling, but he looked a colt with potential when accounting for the Ed Walker-trained Armed (Invincible Spirit) by three quarters of a length on ground that was possibly fast enough for him. He ought to progress across the course of the summer.