Returning champion is the one the one to watch this weekend Brando in the 2018 installment of the £192,152 Gr. 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. The six-year-old chestnut gelding’s last outing was in the middle of July where he finished second to U S Navy Flag in the Gr. 1 July Cup Stakes. Coolmore owned U S Navy Flag is now pegged for an Australian challenge (The Everest) and offers a clear coast to the son of Pivotal.
Freddy Head trained-Efaadah, may just be the contender to offer him the biggest challenge. The Gr.3 Prix de la Porte Maillot winner is one for Kevin Ryan's charge to watch out for. Freddy Head is the leading winning trainer of the Prix Maurice de Gheest, taking the title six times with Marchand d’Or (2006, 2007 and 2008) and returning to the winners’ enclosure in 2011, 2012 and 2013 with Moonlight Cloud.
and with this run behind him and his enviable course form he will be one to watch.This six and a half furlongs contest has £192,152 in prize money on offer.the son of Pivotal The 2017 edition witnessed the take the title and is declared to run again on Sunday in a bid to take the title for the second consecutive year.
Head brings a second runner to boost his chances of recapturing the title with Polydream. The three-year-old won on her last outing under Maxime Guyon in the seven-furlong Prix du Palais-Royal at Longchamp and holds leading claims of landing this contest on the back of that.
David O’Meara-trained Larchmont Lad put in a strong performance to take the seven furlongs Gr. 2 Minstrel Stakes under James Doyle. His connections are now keen for the four-year-old to shoot for Group 1 glory.
Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien fields three runners with Intelligence Cross, Fleet Review and Actress. Fleet Review looks to be the strongest contender as on the three-year-olds last outing he finished third at Newmarket in the July Cup is part of the Group 1 British Champions Series.
Newmarket trainer James Fanshawe send over The Tin Man in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the ground conditions of the French track may do the six-year-old gelding justice. The French style of racing may suit the son of sire Equiano, who hoping to return to the winners’ enclosure.
Click here to watch Prix Maurice de Gheest winner race 2017
1st Brando (K. Ryan,T. Eaves), 2nd Aclaim (M. Meade,O. Peslier), 3rd Tupi (R. Hannon, Jr.,S. Levey), 4th Magical Memory (C. Hills, A. Atzeni), 5th Signs Of Blessing (F. Rohaut, S. Pasquier), 6th Caravaggio (A. O'Brien, R. Moore), 7th The Right Man (D. Guillemin,F. Bertras), 8th Zalamea (C. Fey, A. Coutier), 9th Rosa Imperial (A. Fabre, M. Barzalona), 10th Bound For Nowhere (W. Ward F. Dettori), 11th Black Max (H. Pantall,P. Boudot), 12th Intelligence Cross (A.O'Brien,S. Heffernan), 13th Fas (P. Brandt,M. Guyon)
1 Brando (Eaves T.), 2 Librisa Breeze (Winston R.), 3 Larchmont Lad (Tudhope D.), 4 City Light (Soumillon C.), 5 Time's Arrow (Pasquier S.), 6 The Tin Man (Queally Tom P.), 7 D'bai (Doyle J.), 8 Inns Of Court (Barzalona M.), 9 Bacchus (Crowley J.), 10 Intelligence Cross (Beggy P.b.), 11 Schang (Safar J.), 12 Unfortunately (Atzeni A.), 13 Wootton (Buick W.), 14 Fleet Review (Moore Rl.), 15 Sands Of Mali (Boudot Pc.), 16 James Garfield (Dettori L.), 17 Efaadah (Lemaitre A.), 18 Actress (Lordan Wm.), 19 Polydream (Guyon M.), 20 Coeur De Beaute (Benoist G.)
Distance:1,300 metres (6½f), Surface:Turf, Track:Straight, Qualification:Three-years-old and up, Weight:56 kg (3yo); 58 kg (4yo+),Allowances,1½ kg for fillies and mares, Purse:€380,000 (2017),1st: €217,132
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com