The build-up to this year's Prix Jacques le Marois has been dominated by Inspiral, or more specifically the question of who will ride the mare, with connections ultimately opting to replace Kieran Shoemark with Ryan Moore on the 2022 and 2023 winner.
However, the race is certainly not about one horse, either in terms of competitiveness or British and Irish interest. Considering it takes place 11 days after the Sussex Stakes, the Marois does well to attract competitive fields consisting of a nice proportion of overseas runners. This will be the fourth time in the last five years in which at least half the field has been trained in Britain or Ireland.
This year the older milers have generally left the Sussex to the three-year-olds and waited for Deauville. The exception to that is the Chantilly-trained Metropolitan, who won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and was a creditable but well-held third behind Rosallion in the St James's Palace last time.
The other three-year-old in the eight-runner field is Jersey Stakes winner Haatem. For all that the older milers get a bad press, these horses will still have to improve by half a stone or more to match the best form on offer in this field in 2024.
Admittedly, Charyn is way out in front on that score. He won the Queen Anne by an emphatic margin last time, posting a 5lb career-best on Racing Post Ratings which he now has to back up. He was not an obvious type to leap forward that day, winning his first Group 1 at the seventh attempt.
Charyn and Silvestre de Sousa win the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker
Big Rock and Inspiral have even better form to call on from last year. They were first and second in this race, with Inspiral coming out on top, but both posted better efforts in the autumn.
Those better runs were under markedly different conditions. Inspiral thrives on fast ground and won at the Breeders' Cup, while Big Rock blew them away at a soggy Ascot on British Champions Day.
Both horses are adaptable enough, although whether the ground has truly been good to soft for either of Inspiral's previous wins in this race is debatable. French and British going descriptions do not translate perfectly. With drying conditions prevailing, expect it to be nearer to what British and Irish fans would understand to be good to firm going.
Four-year-old Quddwah is as likely a usurper as either of the three-year-olds. He has run only four times, and twice before this year. He remains unbeaten and his wins at Ascot this season have been taking. First he beat Docklands, who filled the same spot in the Queen Anne, then he overcame a steady gallop to win the Summer Mile last time.
A change of gear is often what proves vital in the Marois. It is what has helped Inspiral win the last two. Look out for Quddwah as he tackles Group 1 company for the first time.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose
Hat-trick seeker pleasing Gosden at home
Last season Inspiral joined a pretty exclusive list of dual winners of this prestigious high-summer prize, adding her name to those of Miesque, Spinning World and Palace Pier on what was Frankie Dettori's swansong at Deauville.
After their second victories Miesque and Spinning World bowed out later in the season after winning at the Breeders' Cup and, after Inspiral's success in the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita last November, a crack at a historic third Jacques le Marois must have been high on the list of reasons why Cheveley Park kept their homebred superstar in training at five.
Inspiral and Frankie Dettori after winning back-to-back editions of the Prix Jacques le MaroisCredit: Racing Post/Burton
After a disappointing fourth on her return in the Lockinge, Inspiral found the mile and a quarter of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot a much stiffer test of stamina than she encountered at Santa Anita.
John and Thady Gosden, in conjunction with Cheveley Park principal Patricia Thompson, have elected to return Inspiral to her favourite playground in search of a historic hat-trick, with the quick ground she craves seemingly assured. Moore takes over in the saddle and rides the mare for the first time.
John Gosden said: "She's always had a pattern of taking time to find her form in the season and she is now pleasing us at home."
What they say
Ed Crisford, joint-trainer ofQuddwah
He’s been training really well into the race. He’s ready for a Group 1 now. It looks like it’s going to be a small field but a very competitive race. He’ll want a strong pace to aim at – the stronger the better for him.
Tony Fry, international director for Nurlan Bizakov, owner ofCharyn
Our hopes are high and our dreams are higher. Roger [Varian, trainer] reports the horse to be healthy, happy and ready for the race. It's a Group 1 and none of the runners are there for the day out, so it's going to be tough. I never like to make predictions, but he's a proper horse.
Maurizio Guarnieri, trainer of Big Rock
We gave him a quiet time for ten days after Ascot and then gradually built him up. We intensified his preparation more recently and I find him to be in very good form. His coat looks great and I think he's very near the top of his form, while his bloods and his scopes have all been normal. We just seem fated never to get soft ground when he runs, and it is a very high-level race.
Metropolitan working in Chantilly under his work rider Simone GarauCredit: Edward Whitaker
Mario Baratti, trainer ofMetropolitan
Everything has gone well since Ascot and we deliberately want to space his races out. I think they'll go a good pace which should give him a chance to perform at his best. We'll see how he handles the straight track for the first time but I think, on the basis of the way he races, he always shows himself tough at the finish and that should stand him in good stead. He can take a couple of strides to get organised and in that respect the straight course could help.
Richard Brown, racing and bloodstock adviser to Wathnan Racing, owners ofHaatem
It's our ambition to produce horses to run in the big races at the biggest meetings, so it's exciting for him to be doing that. It looks a proper race on paper and we know it will require a career-best from him. We know he's very talented and also that he always tries his heart out. Richard [Hannon, trainer] has been happy with his preparation, but we also had bloods pulled to double-check his picture and all seems well with him.
Reporting by Peter Scargill and Scott Burton
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