Last year's top juvenile Victor Ludorum produced a lacklustre performance on his comeback in a Longchamp Group 3 three weeks ago, finding nothing in the closing stages behind all-the-way winner The Summit and the strong-finishing ECRIVAIN with Kenway, who didn't get the best of runs, upsides in fourth. Andre Fabre's charge will need to do a lot better if he's to redeem his reputation though it was a messy sort of race and he pulled for his head. He had just under a length to spare over Alson in the Group 1 Jean-Luc Lagarde at Longchamp in October and the latter, who has changed stables, then beat sole rival Armory by 20 lengths on very heavy ground in the Group 1 Criterium International. Arapaho, yet another from the Fabre yard and owned by Coolmore, had a battle to land a Listed contest at Longchamp last month and takes a big step-up in class. ECRIVAIN ran a seriously good trial at Longchamp, staying on late with his rider not touching him, and that kindness can be repaid here.
Alson (GER) (8-13) won at ParisLongchamp 7f Grp 1 hvy in Oct beating Armory (8-13) by 20l, 4 ran.
The Summit (FR) 28-1 (9-2) won at ParisLongchamp 1m Grp 3 hvy in May beating Ecrivain (9-2) by 1 3/4l, 8 ran.
Celestin (FR) 4-5 (8-12) 2nd of 8, 3l behind Reshabar (8-9) at Chantilly 1m stks gs in May.
Shinning Ocean (FR) 16-1 (9-2) won at ParisLongchamp 1m stks hvy in May beating Speak Of The Devil (8-12) by 2 1/2l, 9 ran.
Victor Ludorum 8-15 (9-2) 3rd of 8, 2 1/2l behind The Summit (9-2) at ParisLongchamp 1m Grp 3 hvy in May.
Kenway (FR) (9-2) 4th of 8, 2 1/2l behind The Summit (9-2) at ParisLongchamp 1m Grp 3 hvy in May.
Arapaho (FR) 6-4 (8-13) won at ParisLongchamp 7f lst stks gd in May beating Mageva (8-10) by shd, 10 ran.
Reshabar (FR) 40-1 (8-9) won at Chantilly 1m stks gs in May beating Celestin (8-12) by 3l, 8 ran.
Ecrivain (FR) 7-1 (9-2) 2nd of 8, 1 3/4l behind The Summit (9-2) at ParisLongchamp 1m Grp 3 hvy in May.
