French foray: Murphy out to bag first Group win with Happy Odyssey

Amy Murphy was pleased to show off Happy Odyssey as the pick of her Flat prospects at her recent owners day and is hoping that the youngster can register a first Group win for her Newmarket yard in the Group 3 Miesque Stakes (1.05) at Maisons-Laffitte.

The daughter of Camacho, whose latest appearance was a victory in a Listed contest at the French track in September, will be sporting new colours having subsequently been sold for €300,000 at the Arqana sales last month.

That total was some return on the £14,000 that the youngster cost as a breeze-up horse in the spring and she looks to have decent claims after some decent work on the Newmarket gallops of late.

Happy Odyssey faces two other British-trained runners in the ten-strong line-up, Richard Spencer's Stay Classy and Amber Spark, trained by Richard Fahey.

Murphy said: "Happy Odyssey was our first Listed winner on the Flat last time and we were delighted when the new owners decided to send her back to us. It was soft when she won there last time and she should relish the ground. Hopefully she can give us a first Group winner."

Stay Classy steps into black-type company for the first time after a decent autumn campaign, which has yielded a win and a second in nursery company.

Trainer Richard Spencer said: "She's drawn one so we'll have to see how that pans out and hopefully the ground should be okay for her if it's good to soft like they say it is.

"Happy Odyssey looks the one to beat but our filly did account for her when winning at Windsor in July. Hopefully she can pick up some black type."

Snazzy undercard

The other Group 3 contest at Maisons-Laffitte is the Prix de Seine-et-Oise (1.35), which has attracted 11 runners including British-trained pair Snazzy Jazzy and Eirene.

Snazzy Jazzy represents Clive Cox, who has a good record across the English Channel, and is on a recovery mission after an unlucky effort in Listed company in Ireland last time.

Cox said: "Snazzy Jazzy had a good draw at Navan last time but missed the break which turned it into a bad draw as he had to come around them.

Snazzy Jazzy: is bidding for Group 3 glory at Maisons-LaffitteCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"I hear it's still raining in France which will mean conditions could be quite testing, which would be agreeable to us. He has a bit to find on the figures but he goes there in good shape and we would be hopeful of picking up some black type."

Will we see another Golden Horn at Nottingham?

It is the third running of the Golden Horn Maiden Stakes (12.40/1.10) at Nottingham which marks the debut victory of the subsequent Derby and Arc winner in the very same mile contest at the track in 2014.

As is usual, the race has split. The second division looks the strongest and features the promising Mubariz.

The son of Dansili stayed on strongly into sixth in a decent maiden at Newmarket last time won by Kick On, with some decent types filling the places.

Mubariz was beaten just six lengths and the winner went onto finish sixth in the Group 1 Futurity at Doncaster last weekend, whilst third-placed Constantinople has since won by ten lengths at Thurles.

Bred to stay, Roger Charlton's colt may well put his experience to good use against a field made up mainly of newcomers.

Can veteran Shake The Bucket win a tenth race at Dundalk?

Recent evidence suggests 11-year-old Shake The Bucket is well capable of adding to his tally of nine wins at Dundalk when he lines up for the 1m4f Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap on the Polytrack on Wednesday.

Trained by Niall "Boots" Madden, owned by his daughter Sarah Ann and ridden by his son, Tom, Shake The Bucket won the same race a year ago. He also finished second over today's course and distance on his most recent start last month.

Also the winner of three hurdle races, one chase and a point-to-point, the sprightly veteran will be making his 107th racecourse appearance under rules.

"Going back to his younger days it wasn't the plan for him to be an all-weather horse but he took to the place and has done very well there. He's getting on in years but he ran well there last time and is in good form, so we're hoping for the best," Madden said.

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