Barrière Meautry Preview: First speed date

If no 3-year-olds were confirmed at the start of the Lucien Barrière Grand Prix de Deauville (Gr2), this Sunday, two of them, both fillies, will face three of their elders over 6 furlongs in the Barrière Prix de Meautry (Gr3). There were three of them but Alocasia is a non-runner.

Winner of the 2018 edition of this Deauville "Abbaye", Tantheem was also a 3-year-old filly, as the third-placed Cœur de Beauté, but hardly any other 3-year-old filly had done so well recently.

Generally speaking, Sunday's runners have not met each other so far and even with only 5 going down at the start, the race is a bit of a head-scratcher. Isn't that all the charm of Deauville?

• 1. EURYALE (g6, IRE by Kendargent and Russian Hill, by Indian Ridge) Rating: 101lbs

Trained in Normandy by Jean-Vincent Toux, who bought him € 30,000 at the Autumn 2018 sales in Deauville, he has since earned over € 100,000 and has tried to return to the Stakes circuit after having skimmed the secondary program. Fourth in the Prix du Gros-Chêne (Gr2) in May, he failed in early July at Chantilly in a Class 2 race and has not reappeared since.

• 2. AIR DE VALSE (f4, FRA by Mesnil des Aigles and Air Bag, by Poliglote) Rating: 100lbs

Trained in Chantilly by Corine Barande-Barbe, who bred her, she has won four of her last five victories with her favourite rider Ronan Thomas and is generally consistent over distances from 5 to 7 furlongs, and without seeming affected by the ground condition. She was able to take advantage of the circumstances and use her courage, recently to win her first Listed race. She had won three handicaps in one year and climbed the scale of the weights by over 30lbs ...

• 3. BREATHTAKING LOOK (f5, GB by Bated Breath and Love Your Looks, by Iffraaj) Rating: 106lbs

Trained in England by Stuart Williams, who bought her £ 42,000 at the Newmarket sales, she made her way up through handicaps over 6 to 7 furlongs winning the Sceptre Stakes (Gr3), over 7f, last year in September at Doncaster. Second at the same level but over 6f for her comeback this year, she reached the podium in each of her three subsequent attempts in Group 2 and Group 3 events ...

• 4. ALOCASIA (f3, GB by Kingman and Portodora, by Kingmambo) 

Non-runner

• 5. MARIETA (f3, FRA by Siyouni and Macarella, by Shamardal) Rating: 95lbs

Trained in Chantilly by Maurice Delcher-Sanchez, bred by her owners, she started her season unplaced in the French 1,000 Guineas (Gr1). She had caused a sensation last year by taking second place in the Shadwell Prix du Calvados (Gr2), two and a half lengths behind Tropbeau, then finishing second again in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1). However, she has disappointed again twice this year… On the other hand, she's back on a shorter distance.

• 6. WANAWAY (f3, FRA by Galiway and Matwan, by Indian Rocket) Rating: 101lbs

Trained at Chantilly by Pascal Bary, bred by her owner, she finished fourth twice in her first three outings and finally won her first race by five lengths in a claiming event. Claimed back by her breeder-owner for € 43,000 in this race, then twice fourth again in a Group 3 and a Listed, she won for her comeback over 6f in a Listed race. Only sixth afterwards in the Prix Texanita (Gr3), she was scratched on ground concern at Chantilly a month later. She finished second, two lengths behind Earthlight on this course on her last outing on 12 July.