13 August 2019
Photo scoopdyga.com
Impressive in the Prix Eugène Adam (Gr2), on June 30 over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud, the British raider Headman (Kingman) will start again as the favourite Thursday at Deauville in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (Gr2). On the same distance, Saudi owner Khalid Abdullah's homebred faces five other 3-year-old runners. The French Flop Shot (New Approach) had to settle for third in the Prix Eugene Adam, six and a half lengths behind Headman. Roman Candle (Le Havre) runs for Godolphin and he shares the same rating of 111lbs. Fifth in the QIPCO Jockey Club (French Derby, Gr1), he also failed in the Juddmonte Grand Prix of Paris (Gr1), finishing 4th. We also have the Marseilles-trained Talk or Listen (Alhebayeb), third recently in the Grand Prix Vichy (Gr3) against his elders, Taos (Toronado), who has won the Derby du Midi (L), and the Irish contender Up Helly Aa (Galileo) is hard to assess. Timeform rated him at 111p, that is 6lbs lower than Headman, and only one lower than Flop Shot at 112, but as the "p" suggests next to him Timeform figure, the Niarchos family unexposed 3yo can improve and that makes him a reliable each-way option. He finished second recently at Leopardstown, well beaten by Mohawk, who previously couldn't keep up with a hopeless effort from the rearguard in the French Derby, and faded after leading last weekend at Saratoga, USA.