Aidan O’Brien has sent out the winner of this on numerous occasions and Promise To Be True has decent claims on her second in the Marcel Boussac at Chantilly on Arc day if handling today’s soft ground. There are also doubts concerning the Godolphin runners ability to handle the going and both were beaten in Group 1 races on their latest starts. Bay Of Poets never figured in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and Thunder Snow was only fourth in the Dewhurst when ahead of SOUTH SEAS. But the latter won the Group 3 Solario over 7f at Sandown in soft ground before that and Andrew Balding’s colt should go close today under his optimum conditions. Group 3 winner Mate Story looks to head the home challenge.
Mate Story (IRE) (8-11) won at Saint-Cloud 7f Grp 3 gd in Oct beating Dame Du Roi (8-8) by 1l, 8 ran.
King Of Spades (FR) (9-2) 5th of 9, 2 1/2l behind Sans Equivoque (8-12) at Maisons-Laffitte 6f Grp 2 gs in Oct.
Bay Of Poets (IRE) 25-1 (9-1) Towards rear, effort over 1f out, weakened final furlong, 8th of 10, 6 3/4l behind Rivet (9-1) at Doncaster 1m Grp 1 (1) gd in Oct.
Thunder Snow (IRE) 16-1 (9-1) Chased leader until 2f out, chased leaders, ridden and every chance over 1f out, driven and stayed on same pace inside final furlong,, 4th of 7, 2l behind Churchill (9-1) at Newmarket 7f Grp 1 stks (1) gd in Oct.
Tresorier (9-2) won at Maisons-Laffitte 6f mdn stks gd in Oct beating Paleolithic (9-2) by 1 1/2l, 7 ran.
Capchop (FR) (9-3) 3rd of 8, 2 1/4l behind Spanish Fly (8-6) at Chantilly 6f stks sft in Oct.
South Seas (IRE) 15-2 (9-1) Chased leading pair, went 2nd 2f out, ridden and every chance over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 6th of 7, 4 1/4l behind Churchill (9-1) at Newmarket 7f Grp 1 stks (1) gd in Oct.
Boos (FR) (8-12) 2nd of 9, hd behind Sans Equivoque (8-12) at Maisons-Laffitte 6f Grp 2 gs in Oct.
Promise To Be True (IRE) 7-2 (8-11) 2nd of 11, 3/4l behind Wuheida (8-11) at Chantilly 1m Grp 1 fll gd in Oct.
