Marie-Francoise Sunday Selections for 3rd August 2025

Marie-Francoise Sunday Selections from Deauville

Sky Sports Racing Prix de Psyche – Fonds European de l’Elevage (Group 3) (Fillies) 1.31
Cankoura (nap)
Francis-Henri Graffard I think has this one in the bag, I think you say, with Cankoura. She was third in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly the last time we saw her, so this is the big drop in class to a Group 3, and I think that also on this shorter trip she will be very hard to beat. The raider of Angleterre is Life Is Beautiful from John & Thady Gosdens’ stable, but this will be new ground for her, so maybe Safia is the big danger for Andre Fabre, as she will like this soft ground and has won a Listed contest at ParisLongchamp in June. Cankoura is the one for me, and all the rest will have to set a pace to be beating her.

Prix des Marettes 3.05
Dispatches
A very interesting Maiden race, where there are many well bred entrants, but I will take my chance with Dispatches. He is a Frankel colt, and Andre Fabre has Tom Marquand taking this ride, while Maxime Guyon has chosen to ride the Kingman colt, Tickle. It is easy to see that it will be between these two, though Lefteye is a Siyouni colt that is out of a Prix Vermaille winner, Left Hand, so also is on my list. It is interesting non, that Maxime Guyon was on Left Hand for that Group One win in 2016, but maybe today prefers Tickle, but Dispatches is my number one.

Prix Rothschild – Fonds European de l’Elevage (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) 3.40
Mandanaba (nb)
It is a very very good Group One to begin the month of racing at Deauville, and I think it will be Mandanaba to win this. I can see that Aidan O’Brien’s January has been big in the betting this week, but as I said on the Podcast with Jaysella, this soft ground is going to be new to her, and maybe her stablemate Exactly would be better on this surface. Of course, there are many coming over from Angleterre and Ireland for this important contest, and I do like Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel, the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner in 2024, and John & Thady Gosden’s Crimson Advocate is also worth a look, but again needs to show she can run on this ground. But for me, Mandanaba is the lesser exposed than her new stablemate, Matilda, who of course has just won the German 2,000 Guineas, beating all the colts by 6 lengths. So I will go for Mandanaba, with Fallen Angel to make it a big contest, while Crimson Advocate, January and Exactly can fight for the third place.

Sky Sports Racing Prix Six Perfections – Fonds European de l’Elevage (Group 3) (Fillies) 4.50
Narissa
I think that this Prix Six Perfections is also a contest of the jockeys Mikel Barzalona and Maxime Guyon, and maybe again Mikel Barzalona can win. He is on Narissa, who was very very impressive in the Maiden on her first run, and was 8 lengths clear and running away from the field, though Maxime Guyon’s Green Spirit was also very good in both her wins. Royal Bay Cen is on my list too, but I think it will be Narissa to follow.

Prix de Cabourg – Fonds European de l’Elevage (Group 3) 6.00
Tadej
With so many entrants from England and Ireland making the trip over to Deauville, it may be the last Group 3 that can make them a win with Tadej. We last saw him in the Prix Robert Papin, where Archie Watson’s Ardad colt finished just a half of a length behind Joseph O’Brien’s Green Sense, and that Group 2 form looks very strong to me in this grade. Shiri and Afjan are the ones to be making this a race, but I must be on Tadej to win this.