Marie-Francoise Sunday Selections for 5th October 2025

Marie-Francoise Sunday Selections from ParisLongchamp

Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac- Criterium des Pouliches (Group 1) (Fillies) 12.40
Green Spirit
I think that I must be on Christopher Head’s Green Spirit for the Prix Marcel Boussac. She is a Kingman filly that has not lost on four runs, and her latest one was here over this course and the distance, so I think she can repeat that to win thisnon? And also, that was the Group 2 Prix d’Aumale, which I think is the very strong form to bring here. It has been Diamond Necklace for Aidan O’Brien who has been the slight favourite this week, and she does look very, very good from her last win at Leopardstown, but Green Spirit still was a bit looking like she wanted more race experience in the Prix d’Aumale, so I believe she has more improvement to come. Karl Burke’s Aylin also won at Group 2 level, and the trainer runs many here in France, so she is also on my list, but I will be on Green Spirit.

Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Group 1) (Colts & Fillies) 1.15
Puerto Rico (nb)
This is a very very good Group One, but I think it is Puerto Rico that will win. He is a Wootton Bassett colt, like Christopher Head’s Nighttime, so these two should be close to each other, while Francis-Henri Graffard’s Rayif has won both his races, and the last was the Group 3 Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville. D’accord, but Puerto Rico showed me a very nice attitude to win the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, so this may be the strong form going into this. Also, Charlie Appleby’s Time To Turn and Clive Cox’s A Bit Of Spirit were the first two home in a Listed race at Ascot, so can be on my list too. Maintenant, I will pick Puerto Rico to beat Rayif and Nighttime, in a very good race.

Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) 1.50
JM Jungle
For the Prix l’Abbaye, I will take the chance on JM Jungle, who will be very suited to this sharpest trip. John & Sean Quinn’s sprinter likes to be at the front, and it can be that the ground will suit JM Jungle better than the Australian raider, Asfoora, who does like to be on the faster surface. D’accord, but this is a very wide open race, so Francis-Henri Graffard’s Rayevka, William Knight’s Frost At Dawn and William Haggas’s Sky Majesty can all be involved. But over this trip, the one that can show the most speed out of the gate can be winning this, and that for me is JM Jungle.

Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1) 3.05
Aventure
Oolala, what a race this year is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. It has become the most exciting race too, with the Triple Oaks Champion from Ireland, Minnie Hauk coming to win Europe’s richest flat race, and of course the most successful trainer for the Arc, Andre Fabre, has Sosie and Cualificar. D’accord, but I have to tell you what the trends are for this big race as we can tell so much for the plus points in this race. It is a very, very strong trend to have run and finished well in this race before, so Aventure, Los Angeles and Sosie came second, third and fourth last year, and all have this big plus pointnon? Plus, there is the most strong trend of the draw, where 18 of the last 23 winners have been drawn in Stalls 1 to 8, which to me is the most convincing trendnon? And that would be a good plus for Minnie Hauk, Daryz, Sosie, Alohi Alii, Giavellotto, Leffard, Quisisana and Cualificar who are in that Stalls 1 to 8 spread. But, it is not impossiblenon, to win from the wider stall? So I think Aventure has the very best of the chance, and like last year’s winner, Bluestocking, did win the Prix Vermeille, the recognised Arc trial. So there are many many things to consider, but I have to tell you I took some each-way gambles some time ago on Cualificar and Quisisana hoping that they would get the nice draw, and this has made me very lucky. They will be my each-way picks, but I think that Aventure can win from Stall 12, with fillies also having a good recent record.

Prix de l’Opera Longines (Group 1) (Filles & Mares) 3.50
Barnavara
Oui, this is maybe the hardest of the races at Longchamp on Sunday, apart from the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to make the winner. But, I think that all year it is Jessica Harrington’s Barnavara that has improved the mostnon? She has made the moves up in trip this season to improve herself, so even though she has just run at home in Ireland, maybe she can produce that same form here in France. Also, I cannot understand why the front-running Qilin Queen has been such a big price in the markets this week, at about 25/1, so Ed Walker’s winner of the Group 2 Prix de Malleret on this track is going to be my each-way pick. Maybe it is because she was the last of the four in the Yorkshire Oaks, but otherwise she has had the very good seasonnon? Andrew Balding’s See The Fire must be on my list too, but for the win I will take my chance with Barnavara.

Qatar Prix de la Foret (Group 1) 4.25
Zarigana (nap)
Oolala, I am so excited to be on my very favourite Zarigana again for this Prix de la Foret. She won the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches here in May, and just lost by the half a length to Cercene in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, where I thought she had caught the winner inside the last 200 metres. So, this is her chancenon? to make it the second Group One win from three races at this top level, and I think she will be too good for the raider from Angleterre, More Thunder. D’accord, that William Haggas colt has been getting better all the time this season, but all his races have been in Angleterre, so I think the home advantage for Zarigana is going to be the big factor. Plus, I would be more over concerned about Andre Fabre’s Sajir, with the brilliant Oisin Murphy on top again, but Zarigana never has the bad race for me, so I will back her with all my heart.