Prix Guillaume d’Ornano – Haras du Logis Saint-Germain Preview: Jockey Club reloaded

A good winner of the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1) on July 5 at Chantilly, Mishriff (Make Believe) returns to France on Saturday at Deauville in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano - Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (Gr2), to start over the second part of his season. he could be aimed at intermediate distances similar to that of the French Derby, that is to say around 1m2f, rather than getting fit for an attempt this year in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr1), over 1m4f.
Trained in England by John Gosden for Prince Faisal, the 3-year-old thus uses the alternative route promoted with this Group 2, outside the beaten track of the English summer championships.
The race will be contested this year by five runners, but it is not a formality for all that for Mishriff, who faces again two colts he beat at Chantilly, The Summit (Wootton Bassett) and Victor Ludorum (Shamardal). Also in are Dream Works (Wootton Bassett), who won his two last races including a Listed event, and the Irish Crossfirehurricane (Kitten's Joy), undefeated until his 10th in the Irish Derby, for his debut over 1m4f.
Another new feature: the heavy rains that fell over Normandy lately, and a ground rated as heavy (4.6) on Friday morning.

• 1. DREAM WORKS (c3, FRA by Wootton Bassett and Sablonnière, by Verglas) Rating: 101lbs

Trained at Chantilly, bought € 110,000 at the Deauville sales, he started with a fourth-place over the mile but then won twice over a longer distance, most recently in a Listed race, easily, for his debut at this distance.

• 2. MISHRIFF (c3, IRE by Make Believe and Contradict, by Raven’s Pass) Rating: 117lbs

Trained in England, he was beaten in his first two outings at 2 over 7 and 8 furlongs and then won by 10 lengths over 8.5 furlongs, having only run on heavy ground. Second in the Saudi Derby in February, he then won easily at Newmarket and brilliantly confirmed, with a burst of speed, in the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1).

• 3. VICTOR LUDORUM (c3, GB by Shamardal and Antiquities, by Kaldounevees) Rating: 116lbs

Trained at Chantilly, bred by his owner, Victor Ludorum easily won his first two races at ParisLongchamp then Chantilly before brilliantly confirming in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1). Favourite of the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3) for his comeback, he travelled along with the leading horses that day but could not switch to an extra gear and even had to concede second place in the end. However, he ran much better over the mile in the French 2,000 Guineas (Gr1), which he won cosily, taking his revenge over The Summit, who had beaten him in the “Fontainebleau” and did it again by taking second place in the Prix du Jockey Club.

• 4. CROSSFIREHURRICANE (c3, USA by Kitten’s Joy and Louvakhova, by Maria’s Mon) Rating: 106lbs

Trained in Ireland, bred in the USA by his connections, he won his first four races, including a Group 3 contest over 10 furlongs at the Curragh, which earned him a 9/1 tag in the Irish Derby. He was never in this race, however, and the horse he had beaten in his Group 3, and which finished close to him in the Kildare classic, did not do better afterwards in the Epsom Derby.

• 5. THE SUMMIT (c3, FRA by Wootton Bassett and Acola, by Acatenango) Rating: 112lbs

Trained in Anjou, bought as a yearling at Deauville for € 16,000, The Summit won for the first time on his second outing, at Lyon-Parilly over one mile. Third in the Prix de Condé (Gr3) after that, he also finished fifth in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) to close his first season. He was beaten by a head only for his comeback, at Saint-Cloud in the Prix Omnium II (L) by Pisanello before winning the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3). Quickly in the lead that day, he fled going off the bend and was never caught, winning by nearly two lengths. Second in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Gr1), he was very game to finish second in the Prix du Jockey Club with a difficult trip, having been drawn 16.