Conseil de Paris : Fillies are all the rage
Photo Soudania : scoopdyga.com
The Prix du Conseil de Paris (Gr2) was shortened this year from 2,400 to 2,200 metres, that is from 12 to 11 furlongs. Eight runners are in including a 3-year-old filly who, undoubtedly, will be the favourite. Her name is Soudania (Sea the Stars) and she won her last 4 races after a 2nd place for her debut, on her only run so far over 11 furlongs. The Wertheimers homebred is trained by Freddy Head and she just left her 3yo rivals, including colts, three lengths away in the Prix du Prince d'Orange (Gr3) over 1m2f. On that feat, she would have found her place in the Arc but her connections elected to dodge a very hot renewal of the Longchamp showdown, aiming this softer proposition instead.
The last 3-year-old filly who won gthe race was Montare, in 2005, who won again two years later at age 5. She had a lot of experience already, having raced 9 times before that first Gr2 win, and her stamina was already an asset. This time, over a shorter distance, Soudania has to face more experience foes. Yet, the two other 3-year-old fillies in the race could be the real threat.
Aga Khan's Edisa (Kitten's Joy) finished second at the end of July in Deauville behind Villa Marina in the Prix Psyché (Gr3). The winner went on to conquer the Prix de l'Opéra (Gr1) on Arc weekend. As for Edisa, she went to Belmont Park, near New York, to seize a trophye that's bound to become a Group 1, the $ 750,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes. She beat another French-trained filly that day, Wonderment. As it is not a Group victory, Edisa doesn't carry any extra weight and she's got the best ratuing/weight ration in the race.
The question is how will she get out of the heavy ground.
It will also be the unknown quantity for the third 3-year-old filly of the race, the undefeated Pelligrina (Soldier Hollow), unbeaten in two outings but absent since her victory in the Prix de Royaumont (Gr3), in June at Chantilly over 1m4f. Her dam won on very soft ground, and her sire, the German-bred Soldier Hollow, won a Group 1 on a heavy groud in Italy.
But if it was so easy ...
There will also be three Listed races on this Sunday's card in ParisLongchamp (two more meetings are scheduled before the season draws to a close, on the following Sunday for the Prix Royal-Oak, then Thursday, October 31).