British sprinters have enjoyed plenty of success in the Prix de l’Abbaye in recent years, and FLEETING SPIRIT is a strong fancy to give the raiders another success in Sunday’s renewal (12.45pm UK time).
The Jeremy Noseda-trained four-year-old was last seen finishing second in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, where she wandered around, seeming not to quite home over 6f on the rain-softened ground. However, she is better judged on her two previous runs in the King’s Stand Stakes - where she finished runner-up to crack Aussie sprinter Scenic Blast, who was at the peak of his powers that day – and July Cup, in which she gained her revenge on Scenic Blast (who finished well-beaten), running out an impressive winner.
Both of those runs were on good to firm ground, and that is the key to this filly. While she goes on soft ground, it blunts her speed and makes it a more level playing field. Given her conditions, though, she’s a cut above most of the usual suspects in these races and, with the ground at Longchamp currently riding on the fast side of good, she must take all the beating. The icing on the cake is her draw is stall eight.
The quandary for punters is whether to take the current English odds (around 15/8) or back her on the pari-mutuel. It’s a tricky call but I’m going to risk the latter option.
The second favourite with English bookmakers is Borderlescott (5/1 Paddy Power), who had Fleeting Spirit back in fifth when third to Marchand D’Or in the re-run Abbaye last year on good to soft ground. This season, he has looked better than ever, winning the Nunthorpe last time out at York, and should run his usual game race. However, I’d always expect Fleeting Spirit to beat him on fast ground.
War Artist (7/1 Blue Square) is very fast and won the Prix du Petit Couvert at Longchamp last time, but this is a step up in class. Tax Free (15/2 Coral) is one of those ‘usual suspects’ I mentioned earlier and doesn’t look enough. A bigger danger might be Total Gallery (10/1 bet365), who has run well in group company on his last two starts and will be suited by the usual hectic pace. He could well be the one to follow the selection home.
Later on the card, Yeats attempts to bow out on a winning note in the Prix du Cadran (4.45). On soft ground, he’d be a confident selection to do just that but, unless the weather forecast is wrong, he looks vulnerable and I rate KASBAH BLISS a good bet to beat him.
Better known for his exploits over timber, KB is no slouch on the flat either and won the Qatar Prix Gladiateur at the course last time out, despite finding all the trouble going up the straight. He looked to have no chance approaching the final furlong but fairly flew home and won a shade cosily in the end. Unlike Yeats, he'll go on the ground and can use his potent turn of foot to good use.
I’m not convinced he will be a bigger price on the pari-mutuel so I’ll take the 3/1 with William Hill.
Recommended Bets:
Fleeting Spirit @ 2pts @ pari-mutuel odds
Kasbah Bliss 2pts @ 3/1 William Hill
