16 June 2018
Photo scoopdyga.com
The ground at Chantilly on Saturday morning, that is to say on the eve of the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1), was riding soft (good to soft in places), with the penetrometer scale returning a reading of 3.4. No rain is forecast before the big race and perfect conditions are expected for the 13-runner classic!
Despite her lack of experience having raced just three times, Shahnaza (Azamour) made a very good impression in the Prix de la Seine (L), and the Aga Khan runner is expected to start favourite in the Prix de Diane Longines on Sunday. It must also be underlined that she beat Pollara that day, who since defeated a nice field, two weeks ago in the Prix de Royaumont (Gr3), while her owner is the one which has enjoyed the most success in the classic with seven wins. She is expected to return predicted odds of around 3-1, although Happily (Galileo), the sole representative of Irish maestro Aidan O’Brien, could challenge her for favouritism. The British-trained Laurens (Siyouni), the winner of The Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (Gr1), is also expected to be very well supported - in common with the second in the same ParisLongchamp race: With You (Dansili). The latter is trained locally by Freddy Head who also relies on the Lanfranco Dettori’s mount Luminate (Lawman). The forecast odds of the three fillies is expected to be in the region of 8-1.