A powerful international field is assembling at Deauville for Sunday’s Group 1 Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois, where Classic winners Precise and Rayif could face leading milers from Britain and Japan.
The €1 million feature is staged over 1600m on Deauville’s straight course and remains one of Europe’s defining contests for three-year-olds and older horses.
This year’s renewal lost its headline attraction when unbeaten British champion Bow Echo was retired after sustaining an injury in training. His absence has opened the race considerably, however, with 12 horses remaining at the latest confirmation stage.
Five members of the Classic generation are still engaged, headed by Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Precise and French 2,000 Guineas hero Rayif.
They are joined by accomplished older milers More Thunder and Zeus Olympios, while Japanese stars Sixpence and Strauss add further international depth to a fascinating renewal.
Precise brings outstanding Group 1 record
The early market has installed Precise as the horse to beat following another consistent campaign at the highest level.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the daughter of Starspangledbanner has already won four Group 1 races, including the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes this season.
Her Royal Ascot victory confirmed her position among Europe’s leading three-year-old fillies, while subsequent defeats have done little to diminish her reputation.
She finished behind Blue Bolt in both the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and Prix Rothschild at Deauville, maintaining a remarkably consistent record without managing to reverse the form.
Sunday’s race would require her to meet colts and older horses, but her experience on Deauville’s straight mile is an advantage. She also receives the allowances available to a three-year-old filly, which strengthens her claims in a race containing several closely matched contenders.
O’Brien has also left Puerto Rico in the contest.
A dual Group 1 winner as a juvenile, Puerto Rico has yet to reproduce that level across three appearances this season. His best form would make him relevant, although he arrives with more to prove than his stablemate.
French hopes are led by Rayif, who represents trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and race sponsor Aga Khan Studs.
The son of Sea The Moon produced the most important performance of his career when overcoming an interrupted preparation to win the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp in May.
That victory came on testing ground, although his connections have long believed that a sounder surface may allow him to show his best acceleration.
His season has not unfolded entirely to plan. A mild fever prevented him from travelling to Royal Ascot for a clash with Bow Echo in the St James’s Palace Stakes, forcing connections to redirect him to the shorter Prix Jean Prat.
The drop to 1400m did not play to his strengths. Rayif settled too far behind a moderate tempo and was unable to make sufficient ground, finishing fifth behind Thesecretadversary.
Returning to 1600m should be much more suitable.
Rayif has also won at Deauville, having scored on the corresponding Jacques le Marois programme as a juvenile. His preparations for Sunday have reportedly progressed smoothly, giving him a more conventional build-up than he had before either of his previous starts this year.
Graffard and the Aga Khan team are attempting to claim Deauville’s feature Group 1 for a second consecutive weekend following Samangan’s victory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
The presence of Prix Jean Prat winner Thesecretadversary would add another significant dimension to the race.
Trained by Fozzy Stack, the three-year-old defeated Samangan and Rayif over 1400m at Deauville last month, earning his first Group 1 success.
The Prix Jacques le Marois would require him to stretch back to a mile and meet stronger international opposition, but his Jean Prat performance established him as a leading member of his generation.
His participation is not yet certain, with connections also considering the Group 1 City of York Stakes the following weekend. That race is staged over 1400m, which may be viewed as a more natural fit.
Power Blue holds the same two options.
The Robson Aguiar-trained colt returned to winning form in the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh and has the speed to be effective over shorter distances. His ability to reproduce that performance over Deauville’s straight mile remains the key question.
Japan launches a two-horse challenge
Japanese interest centres on Sixpence, winner of the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo in June.
The Hiroyasu Tanaka-trained runner arrives as a proven elite miler and will attempt to emulate Taiki Shuttle, who completed the Yasuda Kinen–Prix Jacques le Marois double in 1998.
His presence gives the race considerable international significance.
Japanese horses have become increasingly prominent at Europe’s major meetings, and Sixpence brings form strong enough to test the best European milers. Adapting to Deauville’s straight course will be crucial, but his combination of tactical speed and top-level experience makes him one of the most intriguing runners.
Strauss also offers a contrasting profile.
Trained by Ryo Takei, Strauss produced an impressive international performance when winning the inaugural US$1 million Abu Dhabi Gold Cup in February. The son of Maurice is yet to establish himself at the same level as Sixpence, but he possesses enough ability to warrant respect.
Both Japanese horses have already arrived in Deauville, allowing them time to settle before Sunday’s assignment.
The race will also be offered to Japanese punters through the JRA, underlining the growing international importance of the meeting.
The three-year-olds face an experienced British challenge led by More Thunder and Zeus Olympios.
William Haggas prepares More Thunder, who has developed into a high-class older miler and is prominent in early betting. His maturity and experience could prove valuable against younger horses stepping outside their own age group.
Zeus Olympios represents Karl Burke and the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s breeding operation, the same connections responsible for Bow Echo.
Like the retired champion, Zeus Olympios is a son of Night Of Thunder. A victory would provide an emotional conclusion to a difficult week for the team, although he will need to produce a career-best performance in this company.
The remaining French-trained contenders are Dreamliner, No Lunch and Sir Tommy Cen.
All three would be making their first appearances at Group 1 level.
Dreamliner represents Stéphane Wattel, while No Lunch runs for Christophe Ferland. Spanish-trained Sir Tommy Cen completes the possible line-up and would be one of the outsiders if taking his place.
The jump from domestic or lower Group company into one of Europe’s strongest mile races is substantial, but a truly run straight-course contest could give one of them an opportunity to outperform expectations.
The retirement of Bow Echo removes the horse who would almost certainly have started favourite.
The unbeaten 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes winner appeared ready to take his campaign to France after defeating Gstaad at Goodwood. His absence means there is no undisputed leader among Europe’s three-year-old milers.
Precise offers the strongest record and proven Deauville form, while Rayif should be better suited returning to 1600m after his unsuccessful drop in distance.
More Thunder brings the strength and experience of the older generation, and Sixpence could be the runner capable of changing the established European order.
The final composition of the field will also be important. If Thesecretadversary and Power Blue are redirected to York, the complexion and likely tempo of the race may change considerably.
What remains certain is that the Prix Jacques le Marois will again deliver an important confrontation between generations and racing jurisdictions.
By Scott Bailey
