Key quotes and analysis to help you solve a tricky handicap puzzle

Prix de la Gloriette (Class 2 handicap) |4yo | 1m2f | SKY

The main Quinte handicap of the day is traditionally a tricky puzzle to solve and Tuesday's offering at Saint-Cloud is no exception to the rule.

Several of the runners were campaigned at a higher level last season and are dipping their toe in handicap company for the first time.

One such contender is Fairmont, who was third in the Listed Derby du Midi at Bordeaux last May but was then off the track until December.

Krunch never quite raced at that level but is another handicap debutant who travels up from the south west for trainer Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte.

Gaius was favourite for a similar event over 1m4f here in deep ground back in March and appeared to be dictating from the front before paying late on for his efforts.

One interesting line of form is that shared by Hallalulu and Big Death, who finished second and third behind the highly-tried Zarkallani in an all-weather conditions race at Chantilly in March.

What the stats say

Fabrice Chappet has saddled three winners and a further six seconds from his 22 runners during the first eight days of the restart. Here he relies on Noxareno and Attirance.

What connections say

Christophe Ferland, trainer of Fairmont
It is his comeback run and he was not always straightforward last year. But he seems well and is on a fair mark. I have put him into a handicap to see whether he has come down the weights enough to do well in a race like this.

Frederic Rossi, trainer of Carter And Go
Unfortunately he isn't drawn well, otherwise I would have believed he had a leading chance. From stall 18 it looks difficult.

Alex Pantall, trainer of Top Max
He has done well over the winter and is in good form. But it is a comeback run and a lot of my horses have needed the run. That has to be a slight worry but he is well.

Nicolas Clement, trainer of Reliable Son
It's his comeback run but he has plenty of work behind him. What worries me more is whether he is too high in the weights for his handicap debut.

Francis Graffard, trainer of Gaius
He was drawn wide last time and we had to make plenty of use of him early, which cost him in the straight. He needed the run as it was his comeback, he has improved since. As always in these races he will need a bit of luck in running.

Jean-Pierre Gauvin, trainer of Big Death
She has had time to recover from her winter efforts during the lockdown and she seems well, perhaps better than for her last start. The problem with her is she is a filly that needs covering up and we are not well drawn [in stall 16] so we will have to drop her back. You can ride that sort of race at Saint-Cloud but she will need everything to go right.

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