Let’s hope that everyone was able to get on Monday’s winning double, Tropbeau was very impressive (even if only 90% fit) and I will certainly be keeping her on side throughout the season.
As for Law of Attraction, who did everything wrong and still managed to win!
He had me sweating!
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On Thursday, we’ve an incredible card from ParisLongchamp with plenty of Group race action, where I’ve three selections and one from the day’s other meeting at Angers.
10.40 Longchamp MK Fancy @ 11/4
I quite like MKFANCY even if he was slightly disappointing on his comeback run at Chantilly in mid-March. He was surely not 100 per cent that day and with an apparent dislike for the polytrack – should feel much more at home back on grass at Longchamp.
He was a winner of a Group One on his final start of 2019 (albeit on heavy going) and goes unpenalised for that victory here.
The official going of good to soft is an obvious concern, but I am hoping Pia Brandt’s stable star will have the class to pull it off. Pao Alto looks a big danger after an impressive first term, but may be lacking for some fitness and has yet to mix it with a Group horse.
11.10 Longchamp – Emoji @ 6/5 (nap)
A very interesting contest and there is very little to separate both Flighty Lady and my NAP of the day EMOJI.
Third in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac last season, Flighty Lady obviously possess quite an engine, but for me there are too many questions marks concerning the Jean-Claude Rouget filly.
The Rouget stable is not yet firing on all cylinders and it’s a slight worry to see that Flighty Lady will be making her first start for the yard here after having a tough two-year-old campaign. Combine that with her keeness, a wide draw (in stall 7) and a tendency to hang to her left in the home straight.
She is undoubtedly a class act, but am I easily swayed towards Emoji. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard who can do no wrong at the moment, Emoji has been majorly impressive in her two starts to date.
Having already had a run this season will be a definite advantage and Emoji should continue her progression and claim a third Group 3 win of the week for jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot.
12.50 Longchamp – Mister Magic @ 16/1 (each-way)
I’m not generally one for an 18-runner handicap, but as I’m hoping the shorter ones go in during the early part of the day, I thought I would pedal a bit farther out to sea in a race where Paddy is paying the first 5 home.
I like MISTER MAGIC for many reasons.
His drawn in stall three in this size field will be a mega advantage, especially as we go around a bend for virtually half the race. Jockey Stephane Pasquier is the master of big-field handicaps in France and I’m sure his agent’s phone was very busy when trainers were sorting jockeys for this race. And of course, he carries almost bottom weight of 54kgs.
Mister Magic finished second last time out and although that was only in the provinces, connections happened to be unfortunate enough to bump into a Godolphin hotpot. There’s more than enough there to persuade me that Mister Magic should hit Paddy’s 5 places at double-digit odds.
The latest International racing odds are on PP.com nowAngers 16.40 – Kazarov
I can’t leave a jumping card go by without having a look and there is only one horse worth backing on the card, Kazarov.
Trained by champion jumps trainer François Nicolle, the grey gelding was possibly a tad far off the pace last time out but did extremely well to close down and only lost out by a short head at the line.
In terms of ratings, this horse would be extremely well in if this were a handicap. A repeat of his previous performance is more than enough to get the job done here.
A double on EMOJI & KAZAROV could pay dividends again, like it did on Monday’s picks.
*Prices correct at publishing but are subject to change
The latest International racing odds are on PP.com now