Sunway ready to rise for 2024 as Menuisier takes wraps off star colt on opening day of the season at Longchamp

The opening day of the season at Longchamp looks well up to standard in terms of exciting prospects emerging from winter quarters, with Criterium International hero Sunway one of two Group 1 winners on the card.

The David Menuisier-trained son of Galiway is reunited with Oisin Murphy for the Group 3 Prix la Force (3.25) over 1m1f and is one of the stars on show who has shown that the testing conditions will hold no fears.

"Leading up to the race the ground hasn’t even crossed my mind as a problem," said Menuisier. "He handled the ground really well at Doncaster and Saint-Cloud, and we know how bad it can get at that time of year."

Sunway holds entries in the Poulains, the Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris, as well as the 2,000 Guineas, the Dante and the Irish Derby.

Of the choice to get him out early, Menuisier said: "It was the horse's plan more than ours. He keeps himself fit, he’s an active horse and we kept him trotting all winter. He didn’t really need much strenuous work to get where he is. 

"Oisin sat on him the other day and was delighted by how he went and how he looked. He’ll improve for the run, but he looks straight enough for a first run."

While he has the lowest Racing Post Rating in the field, First Look is arguably the most intriguing horse lining up against Sunway. He might be the most talented in opposition on the evidence of two runs at Chantilly last autumn, though he has yet to race on turf.

There are fillies with Classic aspirations in the Al Shira'aa Racing Prix Vanteaux (2.50) over the same trip, with trainer Gavin Hernon hoping Dare To Dream can live up to her name for owner Dun Shing Lee, who grew up near Epsom and who will be dearly hoping the daughter of Camelot can enhance her credentials for the Betfred Oaks.

"She’s strengthened up an awful lot and the winter has gone exactly to plan, she hasn’t missed a beat," said Chantilly-based Hernon, who sent her to the Curragh for her final start at two where she finished third to Content in the Staffordstown Stud Stakes. 

"She’s been cantering well and has galloped on soft turf a couple of times over the past weeks. She doesn’t make any errors on the ground, which is reassuring. I suspect she is better on good to soft ground, and while this might not be her preference, I expect her to be able to get through it.  

"She’s by Camelot and a lot of them tend to go through it. I think the form of that Group 3 is pretty strong and we’re excited to take the wraps off her and see how it goes."

Gavin Hernon and Dare To Dream after breaking her maiden at Deauville

Karl Burke's string is in excellent form and, hot on the heels of a Group 3 success with Making Dreams at Saint-Cloud on Monday, he saddles Molten Rock, who was last seen finishing third in the Listed Montrose Stakes at Newmarket in November. 

"She's a nice filly and although the horse of Joseph O'Brien's that finished in front of her last time, Je Zous, was disappointing on Monday, she's a filly who works very well and we like her a lot," said Burke. 

Of the rest, Mlle Moliere looked a filly of considerable promise after two wins last season and her fifth place in the Prix d'Aumale can be ignored as she came back a sick horse.

The highlight for older horses is the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt (4.00), the most important lead-up race to the Prix Ganay and where the return of Feed The Flame just about takes the headlines as he makes a first start since being struck into in the Arc. 

With Christophe Soumillon on the sidelines following a gallops accident, Pascal Bary has recalled Cristian Demuro, who was on board when Feed The Flame won the Grand Prix de Paris last July. 

Horizon Dore was third in the Champion Stakes before pulling away his chance in the Hong Kong Cup, and he should strip fitter after his comeback run at Saint-Cloud, when fourth in the Prix Exbury. 

Military Order and Danny Tudhope win the Winter DerbyCredit: Steve Davies

Military Order certainly shouldn't lack for race fitness after winning the Winter Derby at Southwell and will hopefully give further evidence as to the wellbeing of the Charlie Appleby yard after last Saturday's Dubai Sheema Classic triumph with Rebel's Romance.

"Military Order goes into this in good shape on the back of his Winter Derby success," said Appleby. "Conditions will be testing in Paris, although he handled soft ground at Newbury last season." 

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