Clive Cox was “delighted and relieved” to avoid a big draw with Ghostwriter in Sunday’s Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, live on Sky Sports Racing.
The son of Invincible Spirit brings rock-solid credentials to the French Derby after overcoming obstacles when running fourth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
That form has been franked by placed horses Rosallion and Haatem going to dominate the same Irish, while the sixth-placed Inisherin dropped down on the trip to secure an impressive success in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.
With Ghostwriter having won over the mile as a youngster at Royal Lodge and then staying strong in the Guineas, a step up in distance looks certain to suit the Jeff Smith-owned colt.
Cox said: “We’re very happy with both stalls. With 15 runners we’re very happy with that. We don’t have to worry about going out now, so thank you. We’re very happy and it’s definitely a piece of the jigsaw that’s sorted.
“He’s really good and we’re looking forward to the trip. I really think going up to 10 furlongs will be good for him and the ground is the same for every horse.
“He just performed on the faster surface, so that’s an area we just have to figure out, but I’m sure with his way he’ll be able to handle himself on the softer ground.
“It’s been a good week and this year, there have been some really good races.
“Ghostwriter’s main target was the Guineas to start with and he ran a super race to finish fourth. Without a doubt, the form of the Guineas has shown that the Guineas are strong.
“You’ve got a first and a second in the Irish Guineas and then a sixth horse to win at Sandy Lane. It’s great to see that form look solid.
“We are looking forward to going up to a mile and a quarter, which comes out of the Champs Elysees mare and I strongly believe that winning over a mile at the Royal Lodge last year gives us confidence that with the rest of our strength we will be able to go up in the trip.
“And after such an exciting run in the Guineas, we have high expectations.”
Aidan O’Brien, who claimed this prize three years ago with the Basilica of St. Mark, is also looking forward to try Diego Velazquez through the trip again.
The son of Frankel won the Group Two Golden Fleece Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown as a two-year-old and has done his best work at the business end when a close fourth in the French 2,000 Guineas first outing this term.
Diego Velazquez will represent Aidan O’Brien in the French Derby
O’Brien said: “With Diego, we felt like a mile bike was what we wanted and we thought a quarter mile could be the ideal ride.
“Obviously he can go further, but we always see him as a French Derby horse more than others.
“We think and hope Chantilly will suit him. Everything has been very good since the French Guineas, he came out very well.
“He was steady and uncomplicated. It was really good at the end, we were over the moon, and Christophe (Soumillon) was also very happy with him.
“We definitely think he has a lot of class, especially for a mile and a quarter horse.”
David Menuisier’s Sunway has been the favorite to beat in his two starts this season, but has a Group One victory in France at CV from last season, when he upset the opposing Alcantor again in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on soft ground.
“One day, they will show the same class in the evening as they do in the morning,” Menuisier said. “Sunway proved last year that he is a very good horse and has a great race.”
Fast Tracker is rated front front by bookmakers, with the Henri-Alex Pantall-trained son of Churchill has surprised up by Wathnan Racing since scoring by a wide margin at the Listed level over this course and distance.
James Doyle took the ride and Pantall said: “Fast Tracker is a direct ride as a handily race, not pulling and he will be able to adapt. He shows only one flaw in his racing style, because it takes time to pick up when the pace is fast.”
See De Vega is undefeated after two races for Carlos and Yann Lerner, while his brother Ace Impact Arrow Eagle represents the winning combination of trainer Jean-Claude Rouget and jockey Cristian Demuro last year.
Rouget also saddles Wahdan and Grecian Storm as he bids to complete a hat-trick of Prix du Jockey Club triumphs.
.
