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It doesn’t take long for the talent to appear. Since racing returned in France, we’ve already seen some bright prospects stretching their legs on the track. There was plenty to like about the way Tropbeau returned to racing in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte last Monday. When last seen, she didn’t get the cleanest of runs behind Millisle in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. There was no such trouble here though and Andre Fabre’s Showcasing filly showed admirable determination with a pinch of class to battle between horses and land the spoils. Keep an eye on her, as Group 1 competition is now the likely path in 2020. 

Prix du Jockey Club beckons for Alto

The other horse I liked was Christophe Ferland’s Pau Alto, who is every inch a French Derby horse. Having looked a bit on the keen side during Thursday’s Prix La Force, Pao Alto had to be urged along strongly to make up ground as the race began to unfold. When asked for a full effort though, the son of Intello quickened smartly to settle the affair and showed plenty of class in doing so. A step up in trip for the Prix du Jockey Club looks an exciting option and there’s every chance we have a Group 1 talent on our hands. 

Group 3 racing at Chantilly on Monday

As the racing in France continues, we look forward to Group 3 action at Chantilly on Monday. The Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines over a mile has attracted a quality field of nine to post for the 11:01am contest and there is plenty of experience on show here. A recent seven race winning streak for Skalleti is the first thing that catches the eye. The five-year-old grey racked up his 2019 sequence at a variety of tracks, securing a best Racing Post Rating of 113 at Longchamp two starts back. This might just be his stiffest examination to date and it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on.

Silver Quartz and Pretreville are both steadily progressive and, like many of these, arrive in agreeable form. A little more is needed on the figures for either of that pair to score here, but place claims are there for all to see.

At a likely bigger price, Freddy Head’s four-year-old Anodor is also one to note in a field filled most of the way with older horses. Having gone off the boil a bit on his final two outings in the early part of last summer, Anodor returned to Longchamp in October and produced a fluent victory on heavy ground over this trip of eight furlongs. He’s now been gelded and if showing no ill-effects there are few reasons he shouldn’t make his presence felt in this company.

Proven form key to Plumatic's chance

There most likely winner however has to be PLUMATIC for local trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, with Christophe Soumillon striking up a partnership with the six-year-old son of Dubawi for the first time. This horse has not been outside of Group 1-3 company in his last five starts for previous trainer Andre Fabre and he represents the deepest and most consistent level of form available to view in the field. 

Setting the bar with an RPR of 116 backed up by a Topspeed rating of 108 when 4th in the Prix Du Moulin in 2018, his third behind Miss O’Connor last time out in October was also a fine effort in heavy ground after 178 days off. A former winner at Chantilly, an easy mile is just about what he wants and the good to soft ground is ideal. Plumatic is adaptable, so can be ridden to lead or held up, but you’d like to see the horse sit handy here and not have too much ground to make up in the straight. 

We can’t be quite sure why Plumatic has endured hold-ups and indeed has switched trainers and owners in recent months, so overall scope to progress might be a question mark at this stage. But if new connections have invested well, this horse doesn't have too many miles on the clock and has form in the book to take this Group 3 assignment. The booking of Soumillon suggests confidence is high and, fitness provided, this horse should run a huge race on Monday. 

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