3 minute read

Aussie speedster Artorius has already had two close encounters with European G1 glory and perhaps the 1300m charge up the Deauville straight could provide the ideal recipe to correct that record in Sunday's (7 August) Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Purchased for just 120,000 Australian dollars, he is already a winner at the top level in Australia having claimed last year's G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, but arguably it is the two energetic late surges on his two UK starts - dead-heating for third in Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes (1200m) and third in the G1 July Cup (1200m) - that have most enhanced his popularity.

But joint trainer Sam Freedman admits a flaw in the mount of Jamie Spencer, a famously effective hold-up rider: "What has cost Artorius wins is his lack of early speed and now that he is an established horse we are probably not able to change that. He takes a bit of time to hit top gear but once he does he can sustain it and, fortunately, breaking slowly is not as significant in Europe as it is in Australia where closing is difficult around the largely tight turning tracks and short straights."

Before those two famous summer UK sprinting encounters Freedman referred to the four-year-old colt boosting national pride if he won, and, whilst the rivalry between France and Australia is far less intense than that of England and Australia, emotions will surely run high if Artorius  strikes at Deauville not least perhaps as most of his serious rivals on Sunday are trained in the UK.

And the most potent of those could be Perfect Power whose trainer Richard Fahey - who won the Prix Maurice de Gheest in 2014 - says that regular rider Christophe Soumillon insists that this is the ideal race for this impressive colt. Like Artorius he traditionally accelerates fast from off the speed.

This triple 1200m G1 winning three-year-old - his latest big race victory coming in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup (1200m) - started favourite for the July Cup but flopped, finishing only seventh - 3.25l behind Artorius.

Fahey says of that setback: "There is a turbo engine there but he just never got to engage it at Newmarket."

The Charlie Appleby-trained Naval Crown could provide the speed and, if the Godolphin-owned colt does lead, it might be an advantage that James Doyle's mount does not easily relinquish especially as he technically has a form edge over both Artorius and Perfect Power.

Always prominent when securing a shock victory in that Platinum Jubilee Stakes, he then led on the far side at Newmarket only finding Alcohol Free too strong in the July Cup.

Best of the French contenders could be Accakaba, a filly who really seems to thrive at Deauville. A close fourth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat over 1400m here last month, giving the impression then that this slightly shorter trip might suit her perfectly. Maxime Guyon rides Accakaba as usual.