Tuesday’s Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1) at Longchamp sees Storm the Stars (Sea
the Stars) lead the overseas assault on the Bastille Day feature, with no sign
yet that an arduous run of races has taken its toll.
Having his seventh start of the season here and third consecutively at this
level after finishing third in the June 6 Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) and second in the
Irish equivalent (Ire-G1) at The Curragh three weeks later, the bay has no
Golden Horn (Cape Cross) or Jack Hobbs (Halling) to worry about this time and
trainer William Haggas has no fears that he is feeling the effects of a heavy
campaign.
“He thrives on his racing — that’s why he’s running,” he said. “It’s very
unlike me to run a horse six times in a season, never mind in a couple of
months, but with each race he has improved and I hope he can do the same again.
This was never on the agenda, but he came out of the Irish Derby very well and
the owner put the idea in my mind — I hope it pays off for him.”
Successful on a record 13 occasions and in five of the last nine renewals of
this, Andre Fabre has meticulously readied the unbeaten Ampere (Galileo) for the
latest edition and the colt still looked raw when taking the Prix Hocquart
(Fr-G2) over 11 furlongs May 10.
Also representing the home team and similarly boasting a perfect record is
the Erupt (Dubawi), who has taken gentle steps to these heights by winning the
Coupe des Trois Ans at Lyon-Parilly and Prix du Lys (Fr-G3) at Chantilly, both
over this 1 1/2-mile trip.
Aidan O’Brien relies on the unexposed Archangel Raphael (Montjeu), who sports
first-time blinkers after his win on his three-year-old bow in a Fairyhouse
conditions race over this trip nine days ago.
“He has just had the one run this year in a three-runner race at Fairyhouse
which he won well,” O’Brien said. “The step up to a mile and a half did not give
him any problems. He is a horse that has been progressing well at home.”
British interests are strong, with King Edward VII S. (Eng-G2) winner Balios
(Shamardal) also holding major claims on that Royal Ascot win.
“It’s a very tight, competitive field and we’re looking forward to running
him,” trainer David Simcock said. “This was the obvious race to go for. He’s a
Group 2 winner now so we need to step him up. He handles fast ground well and
we’ll see how he goes.”
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