British raiders out in force as Deauville kicks off summer season

1.20 Deauville
Prix Six Perfections | Listed | 7f | 2yo | fillies

British-trained runners have travelled in numbers for the first day of a Deauville festival which stretches through 18 days of racing and does not wind up until the end of August.

While the feature Group 3 Prix de Psyche, in which Jean-Claude Rouget's Prix de Diane faller Onthemoonagain looks set to start favourite, is very much a domestic affair, there are four British runners in the Prix Six Perfections, a 7f Listed race which is also solely for fillies.

Rouget has the likely favourite in the Six Perfections in Mission Impassible, a beautifully-bred filly by Galileo out of Nunthorpe winner Margot Did and already a winner at both Toulouse and Clairefontaine. However, all four British runners are also winners.

Richard Hannon is keen on Model, who made a winning start at Doncaster, and he has booked Mickael Barzalona for the ride.

He said: "Model wants this seven furlongs and I think she'll have a good chance. I loved the way she did it first time at Doncaster and she'll have improved from that.

"There's one of Jean Claude-Rouget's to beat, but this comes at the right time for Model and there are added incentives as she's French-bred."

Mark Johnston is aiming many of his best horses at Goodwood next week, but he is not one to let a good chance elsewhere go begging and he saddles Izzy Bizu, the mount of Ioritz Mendizabal.

Son Charlie, his assistant, said: "Izzy Bizu has had a great season already, with three wins, and this looks a good opportunity for some black type.

"Her Pontefract third looks strong form, with the winner Zaman heading for the Vintage now and runner-up Unfortunately winning the Papin, and she got six furlongs very well there, and also when winning in soft ground at Carlisle. I don't see stamina as an issue over the extra furlong."

The British challenge is completed by the Jo Hughes-trained Get Even and Stan Moore's Lady Of the Court. Both stables do well in France.

Later on, in the 5f Listed Prix Du Cercle, Robert Cowell runs last month's Chelmsford winner Encore D'Or.