Ervedya had originally been aimed at the Newmarket 1000 Guineas but the Aga Khan’s filly was re-routed to Longchamp in search of softer ground. The move looks likely to pay off with good to soft conditions prevailing on Sunday as she bids to win the French equivalent for His Highness The Aga Khan.
The daughter of Siyouni has won four of her six starts and was a top class two-year-old. She won her first three races including a Group 3 at Deauville before finishing third to The Wow Signal in the Group 1 Prix Morny.
She then finished runner-up to Found in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac but connections are convinced that she would have been closer but for her wide draw. She was on the outside of the twelve-runner field and had to be chased up by Christophe Soumillon to get a good position. The effort may have taken its toll in the closing stages as she finished two and a half lengths adrift of the O’Brien filly.
Ironically, she has drawn exactly the same stall on Sunday although she does have two horses on her outside. She made her seasonal debut in very soft ground at Maisons-Laffitte in April where she beat Ameenah by a length and three-quarters. The runner-up is well drawn in stall five so has place claims but it is difficult to see her reversing the form with the favourite.
Andre Fabre is represented by Mexican Gold and Soft Drink. The former looks much the more dangerous of the pair and is a by Medaglia d’Oro out of a Gone West mare. She is unbeaten after two races including a Group 3 at Longchamp and breaks from stall nine.
Sainte Amarante has won her last two starts including a Listed race at Saint-cloud while Fontanelice was seven lengths behind Ervedya in April. She was also behind Mexican Gold when fourth last time out, doing all of her best work in the closing stages. Connections of the favourite would obviously feel happier if she were drawn in a single figure barrier but Soumillon’s experience should hold him in good stead.
The British and Irish challenge has surprisingly evaporated with Irish Rookie and Royal Razalma looking unlikely to feature here.
Ervedya @15-8 William Hill
