Darley Jean Romanet Preview: A good opportunity

The 17th edition of the Darley Prix Jean Romanet (Gr1) brings together twelve mares over the distance of 1m2f. This number has not been reached since 2005 when they were thirteen declared runners, reduced to eleven after two were withdrawn.

It implies that the race is very open despite the presence at the start of a Group 1 winner in 2020, Nazeef (Invincible Spirit), winner of six consecutive races, including the Falmouth Stakes (Gr1) over one mile, before her third place in the Nassau Stakes (Gr1), recently.

This is the only rating in the race above 110lbs since she’s rated 116lbs. The second in this ranking is the German raider Durance (Champs Elysees) with her 110lbs rating ...

Another peculiarity: only one of the runners is over 4 years old, that is Velma Valento (Dabirsim), who is now 5 and has just scored one of the best results of her career!

• 1. DARIYMA (f4, FRA by City Zip and Darma, by Danehill Dancer) Rating: 108lbs

Trained at Chantilly by Alain de Royer Dupré, bred by her owner, she started her career with two wins in July and October last year, then was beaten by four lengths by Bolleville for her first attempt at Listed level. Sixth out of nine when she was favourite for her comeback in the Prix Zarkava (L), on good ground, she has just easily beaten Romancière, Soudania, Suphala, Velma Valento and Mutamakina by winning the Prix de la Pépinière (L) by three lengths.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix Dollar (Gr2).

• 2. NAZEEF (f4, GB by Invincible Spirit and Handassa, by Dubawi) Rating: 116lbs

Trained in England by John Gosden, bred by her owner, she began her career in June 2019 with a third place, then went on to six successes, getting better with every run, until a first Listed success for her comeback in 2020 on the all-weather at Kempton, then the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Gr2) at Royal Ascot and the Falmouth Stakes (Gr1). Beaten for her 10f debut in the Nassau Stakes (Gr1) by Fancy Blue and One Voice last time out, she was, however, the best mare in the race. She tries to reach 1m2f a second time here.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1).

• 3. MUTAMAKINA (f4, GB by Nathaniel and Joshua’s Princess, by Danehill) Rating: 100lbs

Trained at Chantilly by Carlos Laffon-Parias, bought £ 100,000 at the Newmarket sales, she won two consecutive races last year including the Prix Madame Couturié (L) in Vichy, she then took second place in the Shadwell Prix de la Nonette (Gr2), also in the Qatar Prix Niel (Gr2) less than two lengths behind Sottsass before failing in the Qatar Prix de Royallieu (Gr1) over a longer distance. Last for her comeback, she did not do much better afterwards, finishing eighth in the Prix de la Pépinière (L) behind Dariyma, Romancière, Soudania, Suphala and Velma Valento after travelling in the rear of the field.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix Dollar (Gr2).

• 4. SUPHALA (f4, FRA by Frankel and Sefroua, by Kingmambo) Rating: 99lbs

Trained in Chantilly by André Fabre, bought € 650,000 from at the Deauville sales, she was promising at 2 years old. Second in the Prix Imprudence (Gr3) for her comeback and then clearly beaten in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Gr1), she won twice soon after, over the mile then over 9f in the Prix Chloé (gr2), taking revenge on some of her Poule d'Essai foes. Not at ease over a soft ground at Deauville in the Shadwell Prix de la Nonette (Gr2) over 10f in August, she was not seen again. Fifth out of five in the Prix du Muguet (Gr2) for her comeback, she hasn't done much better lately in the Prix de la Pépinière (L), finishing fifth, almost five lengths behind Dariyma.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1).

• 5. NAUSHA (f4, GB by Kingman and Nazym, by Galileo) Rating: 100lbs

Trained at Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard, bred by her owner, she won last year in May the Musidora Stakes (Gr2) at the York Dante meeting, an Epsom Oaks prep race, but she was rather aimed at the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1 ), where she failed, however, and then returned in September only, twice unsuccessfully. Transferred to Chantilly, she has just returned to competition with a win in a series race at Vichy, a very easy task for her.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix Dollar (Gr2).

• 6. BOLLEVILLE (f4, IRE by Camelot and Brasileira, by Dubai Destination) Rating: 105lbs

Trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien, she was bought € 75,000 as a yearling at the Deauville sales and managed to win her Listed race at the end of the season last year by beating Dariyma by 4 lengths. She beat her again in the Prix Zarkava (L) for her comeback, finishing third, one length behind the second-placed Romancière, then she changed owners, yard and country! She started for her new connections by winning a Listed race over 1m2f and then was declared a non-runner on good ground ...

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix de Royallieu (Gr1).

• 7. DURANCE (f4, GER by Champs Elysees and Djidda, by Lando) Rating: 110lbs

Trained in Germany by Peter Schiergen, bred by her owners, she is very consistent at every level and over distances from 10 to 12f, in Germany as well as in Italy and Canada, where she took last year the second place in the EP Taylor Stakes (Gr1). Winner this season of the Milan Grand Prix (Gr2), she has just finished fourth in the Bavarian Grand Prix (Gr1), against males again.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1)

• 8. AMBITION (f4, GB by Dubawi and Talent, by New Approach) Rating: 107lbs

She is trained at Mont-de-Marsan by Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte, who is aiming her quite shrewdly, as last time when she won the Prix Corrida (Gr2) on a burst of speed at Lyon-Parilly. It was over two months ago but it was already her seasonal comeback ...

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr1).

• 9. AUDARYA (f4, FRA by Wootton Bassett and Green Bananas, by Green Tune) Rating: 103lbs

Trained in England by James Fanshawe, bought € 125,000 at the Deauville sales, she was a very successful and consistent performer on good ground last year, winning two races and taking three second places, including one at Listed level. This season, on the other hand, she failed twice before winning again, most recently over 1m2f in a handicap on Newcastle’s all-weather track.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1).

• 10. VELMA VALENTO (f5, FRA by Dabirsim and Bunny Lebowski, by Echo of Light) Rating: 101lbs

Trained in La Teste-de-Buch by Christophe Ferland, bred by her owner, she finished sixth in the benchmark race of this event, the Prix de la Pépinière (L) won at Chantilly by Dariyma. She has since made the most of a favourable trip to beat the good Glycon at Clairefontaine in the Prix du Pays d'Auge (L) over 9f.

• 11. ROMANCIÈRE (f4, IRE by Dansili and Balladeuse, by Singspiel) Rating: 101lbs

Trained in Chantilly by André Fabre, bred by her owners, she finished sixth in the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1) last year and was placed consistently at Listed and Group 3 level thereafter. After a good comeback, she took second place in La Coupe (Gr3), 4 lengths behind Telecaster, then in the reference race, where she couldn’t keep up with Dariyma, but handled the other fillies rather well.

• 12. SOUDANIA (f4, GB by Sea the Stars and Sahel, by Monsun) Rating: 104lbs

Trained in Chantilly by Freddy Head, she was bred by her owners. Winner of four consecutive races last year to culminate in her impressive success in the Prix du Prince d'Orange (Gr3), she has failed to return to this good level this year.

She is entered in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix Dollar (Gr2).