Marie-Francoise & Caroline’s Sunday Selections for 19th October 2025

Marie-Francoise & Caroline’s Sunday Selections from ParisLongchamp & Leopardstown

ParisLongchamp

Prix du Conseil de Paris (Group 2) 1.33
Dubai Honour (nap)
Oui, I think I must find it very easy to be on Dubai Honour for this Prix du Conseil de Paris. He has won seven of his twenty-six starts, and has won races all over the world, including the Group One Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last year, so may be he will be very very hard to beat in this grade. D’accord, Karl Burke’s Convergent is a three year old that has won three of five races, so is the one to be improving, and Andre Fabre’s Junko also must be onto my list. George Scott’s Bay City Roller ran very very well in the Prix Dollar last time, so can also be one in the race, but Dubai Honour is maybe my selection at this trip.

Prix Casimir Delamarre (Listed) (Fillies & Mares) 2.50
Rainbows Edge
Maybe I can find Rainbows Edge the one to follow in this Listed contest, with Oisin Murphy I think on the crest of the wave, as the British Champion Jockey again. She was only beaten by Ashariba in the Prix Dahlia at Saint-Cloud when she was last running, but I think that she can win in this grade and be ahead of Francis-Henri Graffard’s Velikaya who can chase her home. Rainbows Edge to keep Oisin Murphy on this winning run.

Prix de Saint-Cyr (Listed) (Fillies) 3.25
Dash Of Azure
I believe that the raider from Angleterre, Dash Of Azure can win this Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr. Ralph Beckett’s filly of Blue Point ran very very well in the October Stakes at Ascot, getting in front of the favourite, Bright Thunder, and only losing out to the winner, Cajole by the short head. This race was on the soft ground, so it must be that the conditions here are just perfect, and Dash Of Azure must go close with Francis-Henri Graffard’s Narkala maybe the one to be also in the race. Oui, it is Dash Of Azure for me, with Narkala and Medusa Merger to be making her do the work.

Leopardstown

Bahrain Turf Club Knockaire Stakes (Listed) 2.25
Mutasarref
I’m thinking that you wouldn’t have to look beyond Ger Lyons Mutasarref for this Listed race. He does like it around here, and the last day showed he was as good as ever when second to Alakazi here in the Solonaway Stakes, which was a Group 2 contest, so this looks just a bit easier. The important thing there was that he got upsides of the Aidan O’Brien pair, including the favourite Expanded, and although there are three from the Ballydoyle yard lining up, none have really featured in the ante post markets, so it could be Roger Varian’s British raider, Sallaal that commands the most respect. Dermot Weld’s Fingerpaint completes my list, but I do think Mutasarref is the one to beat in this grade.

Trigo Stakes (Listed) 3.26
Trustyourinstinct (nb)
I’ll be having no hesitation backing Trustyourinstinct for this Listed race, having won the Group 3 International Stakes in June. It didn’t look that Joseph O’Brien’s Churchill gelding saw out the 12 furlongs here the last day, maybe doing too much early on, so Dylan Browne McMonagle is likely to switch him off a bit here. Recent Northfields Handicap winner, Johnny Murtagh’s Shaool looks for some Black Type, and is one I think is going the right way, while the Ballydoyle pair of Acapulco Bay and Shackleton both have claims. Dermot Weld’s Sharanga won her Maiden well, so is hardly thrown in, but rthe racing experience of Trustyourinstinct should make the difference.