Saturday tips: your guide to every Group race at Longchamp

France dominated this opening race for much of the 2000s and 2010s, but it has only gone the way of the home team four times in the last ten years and only twice since 2017.

For the past two years, it has been won by an O’Brien, with Joseph saddling Tennessee Stud to victory 12 months ago and Aidan saddling Illinois to win easily in 2024.

This year, PIERRE BONNARD is a warm order to keep that run going for the family but arrives in Paris with a point to prove after only managing sixth when sent off at odds of 3-1 for the St Leger last month, though he did encounter traffic problems.

The former Derby favourite has been a frustrating horse to follow this year, placing on three occasions without winning, including in the Irish Derby behind Benvenuto Cellini and then the Great Voltigeur behind Maltese Cross, both of whom line up in the Arc on Sunday.

This is, however, a step down in class on ground that should be no problem for him and it is hard to make a case for several of the bigger-priced horses, with some unproven on ground this fast.

Space Waltz is interesting as he comfortably accounted for Victoire Magique on quick ground at Chantilly in June and, though he was beaten by that rival last time, the winner had the run of the race out in front off a sedate pace in softer conditions.

Pierre Bonnard, however, has the best form in the race here and I am going to stick with him to bounce back to winning ways from stall one in a race lacking significant depth.

Selection: Pierre Bonnard. NB: Space Waltz.

A competitive Group Two, with three runners; Distant Storm, Wimbledon Hawkeye and Phineas almost co-favourites at the time of writing.

This is deeper than that though, highlighted by the fact last year’s winner First Look is a 20-1 chance, and the horse I keep coming back to is ZAYDANN. He looks the forgotten horse at 10-1 for Francis-Henri Graffard.

This is one of the few high-profile races on the French calendar that his trainer is yet to win, but France have a good record in this race historically and the fact this son of Dubawi was pitched into a strong Juddmonte International last time shows that he is clearly held in high regard.

He was a shade unlucky not to finish closer at York too, with Mickael Barzalona having to wait for racing room in the straight, and he was only beaten two and a quarter lengths by Ombudsman, and a length further by Constitution River in any case.

He had previously looked highly progressive, racking up a sequence of wins in and around this trip, and although this is his first run here, he is capable of bouncing back. This distance at Longchamp is less galloping in nature than the Knavesmire, with a shorter straight, and that should play to his strengths.

Phineas keeps winning and is hugely respected, as is Distant Storm should he get the trip, but Wimbledon Hawkeye produced a career-best effort last time in the Irish Champion Stakes and can fare best of the rest. He is a proven stayer, with his busier campaign the nagging concern against the selection.

Selection: Zaydann. NB: Wimbledon Hawkeye.

The first top-level thoroughbred race of the meeting looks a cracker and, although it has been almost a decade since it has been won by a French-trained runner, this year’s contest can go the way of Francis-Henri Graffard’s SUNLY, who has been a model of consistency this year.

The Night Of Thunder filly, who also had an entry in the Arc, will like the ground better than most and has the best form in this race having finished third behind Friendly Soul in the Prix Vermeille (race record time) here most recently.

She was somewhat of an unlucky loser in that race, having to be held-up at the rear of the field after stumbling badly at the start, and she was short of room after turning for home.

Prior to that, she finished third in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud won by her outstanding stablemate Calandagan, and she was a place ahead of the high-class mare Aventure, who subsequently ran out an impressive winner of the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet over Diamond Necklace.

Though she does tackle an extra two furlongs here, she is from the family of St Leger winner Logician and should have no problem staying this far on pedigree or running style. She looks the class act.

William Haggas has won this twice in the last four years and he had the second 12 months ago with Santorini Star, who has also been a shade unlucky not to record more victories this campaign. She is back to go one better, as is the defending champion Consent.

However, they might struggle to match Waardah for speed in the race for the runner-up spot after the Owen Burrows-trained filly recorded a career-best in the Park Hill Stakes last month. She has form on faster ground and is a solid performer against her own sex over this trip. 

Selection: Sunly. NB: Waardah.

There were great scenes in the winners’ enclosure last year after the George Scott-trained Caballo De Mar landed his first Group One in this event but the defending champion will require a monster effort up against the top-class SCANDINAVIA this time around.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old has already cemented himself as one of the all-time great stayers, racking up eight successive victories which have included two Goodwood Cups, the Ascot Gold Cup and both St Legers either side of the Irish Sea.

He is short odds to make it nine wins on the spin, but everything looks to be in his favour, with good ground likely and the assistance of Ryan Moore in the saddle yet again.

There is a real European look to this race, with Germany represented with three runners, as well as the French, Irish and British challengers, but there are not many for whom a solid case can be made and last year’s Victorious Forever-owned winner can finish second. He showed he was in good form when winning the Doncaster Cup last month and goes well at this track.

Selection: Scandinavia. NB: Caballo De Mar.

This race has been made even more competitive with five-time Group One heroine Fallen Angel being rerouted here rather than defending her Sun Chariot title.

However, I’m not sure the ground at Longchamp will be soft enough for her either and stall nine is also far from ideal for a mare who invariably likes to adopt front-running tactics.

The market is headed by Quddwah, who was a close second in this last year and could easily win after landing the Group Two Solonaway Stakes at Leopardstown last month, but that was not the strongest race for the grade, certainly not as strong as this, and he looks short enough in the market. It may be that he is seen to better effect over the winter where another international campaign presumably awaits.

Defending champion Ridari won this for Mikel Delzangles last year and has each-way claims for George Scott, but he was aided by softer ground 12 months ago and has not won since. He is another I will be taking on given his free-going nature.

There could, therefore, be real value to be had in this race. Three-year-old colts have won three of the last four renewals, so I am going to take a chance on Christophe Ferland’s ELASTIC with Maxime Guyon in the saddle.

The son of Lope De Vega has run two solid races at the track this year, firstly when third here in a Group Three in April when, after beginning slowly, he met trouble in running approaching the closing stages, and then fifth in the French 2000 Guineas a month later where he again was a shade unlucky not to finish closer to the winner.

He displayed his ability to handle faster ground when second in the Prix Bertrand du Breuil on French Oaks day at Chantilly, making the running and only going down by a half-length to progressive winner Remmooz against his elders. The nagging concern is that he hasn’t been seen since, but he should be fit and ready for this and can reward each-way backers at 12-1 should he break on terms.

It is also hard to argue against the each-way claims of Qirat, who continues to run well at this level but may be vulnerable to stronger stayers.

Selection: Elastic. NB: Qirat.