Marie-Francoise’s Sunday Selections for 4th October 2026

Marie-Francoise’s Sunday Selections from ParisLongchamp

Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (Group 1) (Fillies) 12.31
Green Empress
Oh yes, it is a very good race to begin on Sunday, this Prix Marcel Boussac, but my heart tells me that Green Empress will win. She has been so very very good this year non? with only the brilliant Sun Goddess to have made her into second place, and Sun Goddess has made that happen three times, and the last at the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes over 1400 metres. Caroline has always said that Sun Goddess was a talent exceptional, so now Green Empress doesn’t have her there, she can make the Group One honours hers, for Joseph O’Brien who has had the best season and must have a big day here. Christophe Soumillon is the best that Joseph O’Brien can have on Green Empress, with his first jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle still in recovery, and Christopher Head’s Data also can be in the race. Oui, Green Empress can win on her first visit to France, that I am very sure about, with maybe Data and Francis-Henri Graffard’s Queen Of The Day to make it a very good contest.

Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Group 1) (No Geldings) 1.09
Avec Toi
Oolala, I will be with you if you are on Avec Toi for this Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, as he goes for his fifth win in five races. But, maybe he will need some more from in his locker, I think you say, than for winning the Prix la Rochette here last time, as he was only holding off Andre Fabre’s Imperial Strike by the short head, and it can be that Imperial Strike will improve again. D’accord, but this Group One is a deeper ocean that has more big fish than Avec Toi and Imperial Strike, as Francis-Henri Graffard’s Amusingly looks very very good non? after being second to Ed Bethell’s Rogue Passion in the Prix d’Aumale here last time, and is another that can improve. Oh yes, another very good race for Sunday, but I will be on Avec Toi, who his trainer Christopher Head thinks is his best, and maybe Amusingly can improve over Imperial Strike to make second place.

Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) 1.47
Miss Yechance
Karl Burke’s Miss Yechance was only in this new stable since the week before Royal Ascot, but something very good has happened to this filly now. It was almost the magic tale at Royal Ascot when she led until inside the final 400 metres, and that was without her right fore shoe! But since that big Handicap she has won the two races, at York and at Newbury. D’accord, this is a very big step to this Group One, and the low draw does always help, but she only knows one way to run, it is from the front, so my heart is all with her again, and it is a very good sign to be in the number 8 stall. Of course, the Prix du Petit Couvert on this course and distance last time must be the very good guide for this Prix de l’Abbaye, so Naana’s Shadow and Shiri, who were the un-deux from that Group 3 must be on my list, but Shiri starts from stall 4 and Naana’s Shadow is in stall 14. But it is the three year olds that have such a very good record in this Group One in the recent trends, so I will be on Miss Yechance with all my fingers crossed over, and Shiri, Naana’s Shadow and the older Rumstar can all be in the race.

Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1) (No Geldings) 3.05
Thundering On (nap)
Oohlala, the best race in all of Europe, and I believe that Joseph O’Brien’s Thundering On will win. She is a very very good filly non? winning the Oaks at Epsom, and then making such an impressive win in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh last time, making it the proof that she can be as good on bon souple. Of course, last year’s winner, Daryz has been very much the favourite with Francis-Henri Graffard making the insistence that faster ground will be the strength for him, and now a four year old can be even better, so when the stall allocations were given out on Thursday, all the signs could be aligned for this Sea The Stars colt. D’accord, but the fillies have such a very good record in the recent years in this race, so Kalpana, Thundering On and Diamond Necklace must all be on your list, though it is Kalpana and Thundering On that get get the best of the stalls in 6 & 3, as Diamond Necklace is in 16 and last year’s second, Minnie Hauk is in 10. Friendly Soul may be out at the front early on, so maybe Maltese Cross, who is a very very good colt can find a better position in this race, and I do believe this is a very open Arc this season, and much closer than the market can be making it seem. Oh yes, a very good Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe this time, with Daryz, Kalpana, Friendly Soul, Varandir, Maltese Cross and Thundering On all in with the chance non? Maintenant, I will be with Caroline, and say Thundering On can make it even better at this distance, and make it another filly to win the best race in all of Europe.

Prix de l’Opera Longines (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) 3.50
Aventure (nb)
Oui, I do believe that Christophe Ferland’s Aventure will win this Prix de l’Opera as she is at her best distance. She was beaten by both Daryz and Bright Picture in the Prix Ganay here in April, but then has won both her starts over this 2000 metre distance, so it must be that she has been made this her plan for this season, as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last year was not a success. D’accord, I believe she is the very good favourite for this Group One, but it can be Miss Scott and Pink Panthera that will be also in this race. John & Thady Gosdens’ Miss Scott won the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes on the Curragh last time, and I believe she is the one to improve, and with Christophe Soumillon on her again, he will know just when to make the timing on his run. And then, Pink Panthera has been improving with every run on Longchamp, and was just the three quarter length second to Friendly Soul in the Prix Vermeille last time, so has the very good form for this, but it will be the shorter distance that could be a negative. Oui, it must be Aventure that is ticking all of the boxes, I think you say, for this Prix de l’Opera, and she will win in front of Miss Scott.

Qatar Prix de la Foret (Group 1) 4.25
Thesecretadversary
Oh yes, we must be listening to Caroline for this Prix de la Foret, and back Thesecretadversary over this 1400 metre race. She gives me her assurance that Fozzy Stack’s colt is the best in all of Europe over this distance, and also can be very very good on this ground, which will be bon souple and just perfect she says. I believe that this is the very good advice from Caroline, as Thesecretadversary was the winner of the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in July over this 1400 metres, but when I thought she would win the Jacques le Marois the next time over the 1600, this distance just was too far. Aidan O’Brien’s True Love was fifth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, but maybe this 1,000 Guineas winner needed a bit the longer distance, so of course this Prix de la Foret can be very good for her, but Francis-Henri Graffard’s Samangan must be the big favourite non? after winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest the last time. Oui, a very good race, with this 1400 metre distance the grand puzzle, but I will stay with Caroline and say Thesecretadversary will win.