French 2000 Guineas: Vendome to turn on the Style

Style Vendome is fancied to score at Longchamp.

Timeform's John Ingles assesses the field for the Poule d'Essai des Poulins, the French 2000 Guineas...

British-trained winners of the French version of the 2000 Guineas have been few and far between over the years but Richard Hannon, whose Van Der Neer and Toronado reached the frame behind Dawn Approach at Newmarket last weekend, will be two-handed in France as well with Olympic Glory and Havana Gold bidding to get nearer the mark at Longchamp.

Olympic Glory's only defeat in six races came from Dawn Approach in the Coventry Stakes last year, and he landed the odds on his return in the Greenham at Newbury last month when looking as if the run would bring him on. He is also a course winner, having taken the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere here in the autumn, and the step up to a mile for the first time looks likely to suit. Havana Gold has a bit more to find, having been no match for Toronado in the Craven Stakes.

Aidan O'Brien has won this three times (and gone close on other occasions), all his winners having had a prep race in France beforehand. His main representative this time, Gale Force Ten, had his trial in a listed race at Dundalk instead, not needing to improve on his close third in the Middle Park last year but keeping on strongly when making all to suggest he'll stay a mile. With pacemaker Flying The Flag also declared by Ballydoyle, Gale Force Ten shouldn't have to make the running this time.

John Gosden's entry Bright Strike, a Timeform Horse To Follow, completes the overseas contingent and has won his two starts on polytrack this spring but faces a big step up in class from maiden and handicap company.   

Jean-Claude Rouget has never won the Poulains but fields a Group 1-winning contender in Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Morandi. He was impressive in the mud last autumn but shaped as though middle-distances would bring out the best in him at three and was found wanting back at a mile in the Prix de Fontainebleau on his reappearance when going down to Gengis whom he meets again here.  

Andre Fabre, on the other hand, goes for a sixth win the race with the unbeaten Wertheimer colt Intello who had the subsequent 2000 Guineas runner-up Glory Awaits a long way back in third when winning the listed Feilden Stakes impressively at the Craven meeting last month. The way he travelled at Newmarket suggests the drop back to a mile won't inconvenience him, though a wide draw is potentially much more of a concern. Instead of Intello, Olivier Peslier partners the same owners' other representative Anodin, a brother to Goldikova who was a smooth winner of a minor event over course and distance last time.   

Besides Intello, Style Vendome, trained by Nicolas Clement, is one of the most progressive colts in the field. He completed a four-timer in the Prix Djebel a shade cosily on his most recent outing (with Penny's Picnic in third) and will stay this extra furlong. His low draw and handy style of racing should be other factors very much in his favour in this big field.

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Back Style Vendome in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains

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