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Fabre-trained duo line up in the race not to miss on Monday's Chantilly card

Andre Fabre: saddles a pair of runners for Godolphin
Andre Fabre: saddles a pair of runners for GodolphinCredit: Edward Whitaker

Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines (Group 3) | 1m | turf | 4yo+ | SSR

Godolphin's colours were carried to victory in this race last year when Vintager scored for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle, and the leading owners are doubly represented in this year's edition.

Nature's Colors and Impulsif are both trained by Andre Fabre but come into this race off the back of distinctly different performances.

Nature's Colors, who will be ridden by Godolphin's retained rider Mickael Barzalona, has won three of his four starts, the most recent of which was an eyecatching three-length Listed success on the all-weather at Deauville in March.

By contrast, Impulsif was beaten into third by Silver Quartz, who reopposes in this contest, in a conditions race on the artificial surface at Chantilly.

Lisa-Jane Graffard, spokeswoman for Godolphin, said: "Impulsif and Nature's Colors go into this race in good form, but it is a very competitive Group 3 with some Group 1 performers, as well as some really tough campaigners who have run several times this year already.

"Nature's Colors has shown his best form on slower ground, while Impulsif ran a shade disappointingly here last time, so we will need to see some improvement on that."

A horse who may have Group 1 pretensions before the end of the season is the progressive Skalleti, the winner of his last seven races, including the Group 2 Prix Dollar on Arc weekend and the Group 2 Premio Roma in Italy in November on his most recent start.

Trainer Jerome Reynier has opted for this race over last Monday's Prix d'Harcourt, but expects his five-year-old to improve a fair bit for the outing.

He said: "I've decided to run him over a mile for his comeback rather than a mile and a quarter in the Prix d'Harcourt.

"He has never had such a long break. We wanted to give him a holiday but with racing being off for the virus it's been longer than ideal for a big horse like him. He will be short of his best and he will be held up to finish well.

"If he can win so much the better, but the ground will be quick enough for him and his main objectives will be in the autumn when the ground softens up."

Francis Graffard saddles an interesting pair in the aforementioned Silver Quartz, formerly trained in Britain by Archie Watson and more of an all-weather specialist, and Plumatic, who is making his first start for the yard since being purchased out of Andre Fabre's stable.

Another name of note is the 2018 Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere third Anodor, who missed much of last year but looked to have retained plenty of the ability he showed at two when winning well at Longchamp last backend.

Trainer Freddy Head will hope to see him run well but may not have sky-high expectations as plenty of Anodor's stablemates have looked in need of their comeback runs since the resumption.


Three more names to note on Monday's card

Houselady (10.28 Chantilly)
The four-year-old did not show much in three starts last year and has since been bought by Patrick and Francois Monfort. However, the filly possesses an excellent pedigree, being a close relative to Grade 1 winner Grand Couturier and several other black-type performers.

Ebaiyra (11.34 Chantilly)
A half-sister to the talented Edisa, this filly is from the deep Aga Khan family that traces back to the likes of Gold Cup winner Estimate. She ran a promising race to finish second first time out and is likely to progress through the season.

Musical Mast (12.07 Chantilly)
Started joint-favourite with subsequent Group 1 winner Victor Ludorum on his debut last year before finishing fifth in a race that also included another Group 1 winner in Mkfancy. The Khalid Abdullah-owned colt has not run since and is a potentially interesting sort.


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Peter ScargillDeputy industry editor

Published on 17 May 2020inFrance

Last updated 19:36, 17 May 2020

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