April 12 - Gr III - Prix de Fontainebleau - Longchamp

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By ARSENE ABITBOL - 11 April 2009 - 22.02 pm
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April 12th - Prix de Fontainebleau - Longchamp - 1m - Gr III

Ran over a mile on the 'Grande Piste' which is the most selective circuit at Longchamp, the Prix de Fontainebleau is the Poule d'essai des Poulains' (2000 French Guineas) prep race.

Sand Tiger for Andre Fabre won very easily at Maisons-Laffitte last year for his only start and is hard to evaluate but he is certainly a big danger.

Silver Frost won a Listed race last time out at Saint Cloud and came 3rd of the Gr I Criterium International last year and is also a GrIII winner at Deauville. He just got the better of Milanais by two lengths in his last run but I feel that he races to the best of his ability on left handed racecourses on soft to heavy ground.

Westphalia's bank account is the biggest and seems to hold the best credentials, he has not run for 6 months but Aidan O'Brien is a master trainer.

Milanais finished a neck behind Naaqoos in the Gr I Jean-Luc Lagardere over 7f last year and was rated amongst the best 2yo in 2008. Beat the Dewhurst winner Intense Focus and MasterCraftMan. 2nd from Soul City and ahead of Jukebox Jury at Longchamp in the Gr III Prix de la Rochette, the Bertrand Watrigant - trained colt also finished a good 4th behind Bushranger earlier on in the Prix Morny (Gr I).
He has had a good outing, coming back from a 4 and a half months break, is off Group 1 caliber and most of all he is familiar with Longchamp, a track that suits him very well.

A good each value bet is Milanais who should be offered at double figures, around 10/1, he is my favorite on paper, my only concern is the fact that he has raced on 12 occasions before.

Outsiders :

Set Sail has a very thin chance on form, so does the Broken in Light. Oiseau de feu steps up in grade but his experience has been on all-weather tracks and left handed tracks which is a bit of a worry.
Take d'Or's only win came up lately in March on the A.W but it looked like a weak race at Deauville.

Selection : Milanais
Biggest threat : Westphalia
Danger : Sand Tiger

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