Moulin : Romanised, from challenger to challenged

Sunday's card at ParisLongchamp features the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Gr1), a mile championship contested by 11 horses, including 6 Gr1 winners.

The Irish raider Romanised (Holy Roman Emperor) will probably be amongst the favourites after his recent success in the Prix Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (Gr1) over Deauville's straight mile, beating 3-year-old Shaman (Shamardal). Owned by Robert Ng, Romanised will be supported by his stablemate Success Days (Jeremy) to keep a good pace. Olmedo (Declaration of War) returned to winning ways at Deauville three weeks ago in the Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club (Gr2), fifteen months after his classic success in the French 2,000 Guineas (Gr1). Robin of Navan (American Post) also won again recently, in a German Group 2 in July.

The younger team is quite interesting. Delaware (Frankel) competes for the first time in Gr1 company but he was very impressive on this trip in the Shadwell Prix Daphnis (Gr3). He is opposed to Phoenix of Spain (Lope de Vega), who has not confirmed his shattering Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Gr1) comeback win. On the other hand, the winner of the St.James's Palace Stakes (Gr1) at Royal Ascot, Circus Maximus (Galileo) has finished 2nd afterwards to the retired champion Too Darn Hot in the Sussex Stakes (Gr1), and he foght bravely over an extended 10 furlongs trip in the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1) at York, a very hot race.

Beaten in the Epsom Derby (Gr1) over 1 mile and half, Line of Duty (Galileo) finished third behind Romanised and Shaman at Deauville for his comeback and returns over the mile. Kick On (Charm Spirit) has also come back to the mile, winning a Gr3 across the Channel against older foes. The only filly at the start, Obligate (Frankel) won the Prix de Sandringham (Gr2) at Chantilly and went on with a third place in the Prix Rothschild (Gr1), a female milers' championship held at Deauville.