Marie-Francoise & Caroline’s Sunday Selections for November 9th 2025

Marie-Francoise & Caroline’s Sunday Selections from Saint-Cloud & Naas

Saint-Cloud

Prix Herod (Listed) 12.58
Quiescent
I think that this race is set up for Quiescent non, after completing her hat-trick at Newmarket in October. She has made the win on soft ground before, at Chepstow, so maybe she will be fine on this heavy going here at Saint-Cloud, but that is still something we have to find out. D’accord, but if she cannot be good on this ground, then it may be Andre Fabre’s Gazi or Dalibor Torok’s Dorzal that can feature in the race. Oui, I will take the chance that Quiescent will act on this going, ahead of Gazi and Dorzal.

Prix Tantieme (Listed) 1.33
Norwalk Havoc
It can be the raider from Ireland that can win this Listed race, with this heavy ground not the big concern. But, Andre Fabre’s Narkez has won both his races this season, that includes a big hot handicap here in October, so he must be on my list also. Hamed Al Jehani’s Midnight Gun can make this step up to the Black Type race and has Christophe Soumillon to make him at his best, while Christophe Ferland’s Silius has plenty of Pattern experience, even at the top level, so these are my big four. But I think it will be Jessica Harrington’s Norwalk Havoc that can win, so he is my pick, just ahead of Silius.

Prix Isola Bella (Listed) (Fillies & Mares) 2.50
Moon Cloud
Maybe this third of the Listed races here at Saint-Cloud can go to Francis-Henri Graffard’s Moon Cloud. It is very much her home track, as all her three races have been here, and she has been in the first three each time, winning her second start over 1600 metres. D’accord, but the raider from Angleterre, Charlie Fellowes Maeva, will not be minding this ground non, so must make my list, and Karl Burke does very very well here in France, so Love Dynasty also has the good chance. Gabriel Mosse’s Gulya won her first start in France at Compiegne, so has a chance also, but I will think that Moon Cloud will be too good for these on this ground.

Prix Solitude (Listed) (Fillies) 3.23
Anakova (nb)
Andre Fabre can win this Listed race with Anakova, who was very very close to winning here the last time. She maybe had not the best ground underneath her in that 1600 metre race, when she had to go six wide into the home straight, so from eighth place there was plenty for her to do. D’accord, but this extra trip can give her more time to find a better run into the finish, so I think she must be the one to follow in the last of the Listed races on Saint-Cloud’s Sunday meeting. It must be Owen Burrows Azaniya that will be close to Anakova now she has made the win first win here in France, but I will take my chance with Anakova.

Naas

SIS brown Lad Handicap Hurdle (Listed) 2.27
Spillane’s Tower
Well, of course Spillane’s Tower is much better known as a chaser, but still has a bit of a giveaway mark over hurdles, so I’ll take my chance on him. With Grade One form over fences in the book, Spillane’s Tower is obviously the class act, but Willie Mullins has the unexposed Sysko getting 4lbs and this should make for a decent contest between the two. Sysko was just 2 lengths behind Grann’s Boy in a handicap at Listowel the last day, so should line up readied for this. Gavin Cromwell’s Backtonormal also reverts to a hurdle race here, and can have a say, but Spillane’s Tower should have too much for him and Sysko for the win.

Barberstown Castle Chase (Grade 3) 3.02
Only By Night (nap)
An absolute cracker of a race for the feature, but I’m of the mind to go with Only By Night. My reasoning? Well, Henry de Bromhead does like to use this race as a target to get the Winter campaigns under way, so Inthepocket makes some obvious appeal with the yard in red hot form, but Gavin Cromwell’s Only By Night was second to Majborough in a Grade One Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival, has won first time out in the start of her winter campaign in 2023 & 2024, and has a fine record over fences, never out of the first two in five starts, winning three. Champ Kiely is clearly the class act of this field, but has to give plenty of weight away and needs further to be at his best, while stablemate Ile Atlantique is prone to the odd error so has risks attached. All in all, a brilliant puzzle for the start of this campaign, but Only By Night does it for me, with Inthepocket likely to make a race of it after Ile Atlantique sets the early pace.