Monday preview: quotes and analysis to help you navigate the day's big handicap

Prix d'Aquitaine (Class 2 handicap) | 1m4f | 4yo fillies | SKY

British and Irish eyes are getting accustomed to the almost daily lunchtime treat of a big-betting handicap and may be relieved that, unlike French punters, they are not required to try and predict the first five home in such tight contests.

Monday's offering was originally scheduled for Saint-Cloud and, though it is some five hours drive south, left-handed Lyon Parilly provides a fair substitute.

With the field restricted to four-year-olds there are several unexposed horses that could still have improvement in them, headed by Bellariva , who has struck twice from three starts since the turn of the year, and looks the more progressive of Christophe Ferland's two runners.

Both Deacon and Creative were acquired from top owner/breeders and have done well for their new connections.

Deacon dominated his rivals on the all-weather over this distance at Lyon's sister track, La Soie, while Christopher Head has since had the son of Dansili gelded.

Jean-Pierre Gauvin has had his string in fine form since the return of racing in FranceCredit: Scott Burton

Creative was bought from the Wertheimers and has shown herself to be competitive in conditions races for Jean-Pierre Gauvin.

She has three lengths to make up on Creative from that run at Lyon-La-Soie but the form of her subsequent solid effort at Fontainebleau was boosted last week when the winner, Think Of Me, took the Listed Prix Gold River.

Fabrice Chappet is represented by Salmon Please and Glysandrine, both of whom have something to find with Royalist and Bright Crescent on their run in a Saint-Cloud handicap in March.

Trainers in form

Christophe Ferland has a 20 per cent strike-rate of seven winners from 35 starters since the resumption a fortnight ago. Frederic Rossi and Jean-Pierre Gauvin are both operating at 16 per cent since May 11, with Gauvin's last 13 runners have yielded three winners and a further five placed horses.

What the connections say

Yann Barberot, trainer of Plateado and Souveraine Elusive
Plateado had a poor draw at Deauville in February and was a long way back before finishing in good style so I was pretty pleased with that run. I've put some headgear on in the hope he can be ridden a bit closer to the lead and will have less ground to make up. Souveraine Elusive has progressed such a lot that, although the handicapper was quite harsh after her last win, I wouldn't be surprised to see her in there at the business end. I've booked Pierre-Charles Boudot, who is in terrific form.

Christopher Head is hopeful there is more to come from DeaconCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Christopher Head, trainer of Deacon
He's a nice horse and has been a real moneyspinner since he joined me. He did it well in February on the Polytrack and he prefers quick ground as he is by Dansili, so I hope he will get his preferred going here. Since the race was switched from Saint-Cloud a lot of the original entries haven't turned up so I think this looks a nice opportunity. I've given him plenty of time and I think he'll like going left-handed.

Jean-Pierre Gauvin, trainer of Creative
Over the winter she ran well in her first Quinte handicap at Cagnes, where 2,000 metres was a bit sharp for her. Her last run was very good and she only paid in the final 100 metres for her efforts on heavy ground. This is a comeback of sorts after the lockdown but I expect her to run well. Winning will be tough but she is up to grabbing a place. The horses are running well and I am very satisfied with how things are going, given the difficulties of keeping them in form during the confinement.

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