Gay Kelleway: ups Swing Alone in distance at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Saturday
PICTURE: Martin LynchKelleway expects trip to suit Swing in Policeman
Preview: France, Saturday 1.30pm GMT
Cagnes-sur-Mer: Prix Policeman (Listed) 1m2f, AW, 3yo
SWING ALONE (Gay Kelleway/Mickael Forest) turns out for the third weekend running, with connections hoping that the logic of his staying-on third over 1m last time will be borne out by a first try at this longer trip.
"He relaxed well in behind the gallop and in another few strides I think he'd have won," said Kelleway, who has taken plenty of positives from her experiences at Cagnes and Deauville this winter.
"There's no getting away from the fact that there are a couple of nice horses in the race, so if we're in the first three I'll be delighted," she added. "Whatever happens he's enjoyed the sun down there for a few weeks and he's grown up mentally."
Sir Jade (Jean-Marc Capitte/Pierre-Charles Boudot) led home no fewer than three of Saturday's rivals when landing the traditional trial for this race, the Prix de la Ville de Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Boudot rode a near-perfect waiting race in front on that occasion and the lightly-raced son of Gentlewave is clearly at home on the surface, having broken his maiden at the track in January.
Among those reopposing, Saonois (Jean-Pierre Gauvin/Antoine Hamelin) only went down by a short head and is 3lb better off while Espero (Jean-Claude Rouget/Ioritz Mendizabal) and the well-backed Mobaco (Frederic Rossi/Franck Blondel) were some way back in fourth and fifth.
Mobaco carries a penalty for his Listed win at Marseille-Borely in November, but it is worth noting that he is yet to win away from France's second city and didn't entirely convince on his first encounter with the all-weather.
"If it were on turf I'd have no worries, but on sand there's still a slight question mark," admitted Rossi. "But the horse has definitely come on for his re-appearance."
Also on Saturday (2.40pm GMT)
Cagnes-sur-Mer: Grand Prix du Conseil General des Alpes-Maritimes (Listed) 1m4½f Turf, 4yo+
As with the Policeman a little over an hour before, there is one piece of recent form which ties many of the main protagonists together.
If anything the success of Da Paolino (Didier Prod'homme/Pauline Prod'homme) provokes even more questions than that of Sir Jade owing to the stunning lead the jockey opened up over her rivals, an advantage which was still a yawning 13 lengths crossing the line.
"He's a long-striding horse and over 2,500m it pays to take him to the front," said Prod'homme, whose daughter's ride drew comparisons with Christophe Soumillon's infamous 'theft' of the 2010 Grande Course de Haies on Mandali.
Prod'homme added: "Once she's got a good position, it will be up to Pauline whether she goes on again depending on the pace over the first 1,000m (5f) but Da Paolino doesn't need to lead, he's very relaxed."
The proven class in the field isAgent Secret (Francois Rohaut/Francois-Xavier Bertras), who chased home the likes of Cirrus Des Aigles and One Cool Cat in Group company last season.
Bertras didn't give Agent Secret an unduly hard time behind Da Paolino and the only real negative is his lack of a win since 2010.
Sant'alberto (Fabrice Chappet/Thierry Thulliez) showed real resolution in holding off several better-fancied rivals in a conditions race here last month and looks well worth a try at this level judged by his handicap win on the Prix de Diane undercard at Chantilly.
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