Prix de l’Abbaye Longchamp Tips & Betting Preview

Race Time: 3.40pm Meeting: Longchamp Day: Sunday 4th October Distance: 5f
Full Race Name:  Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (Group One) (2yo+)

One for the older sprinters historically with just the one three year old successful in the last seventeen years so good luck to the connections of Letters Of Note if they allow the filly to take her place in the line up! Whether this is the strongest available field of sprinters is pretty questionable but it is certainly competitive, on paper at least, and will be a fascinating conclusion to the Channel 4 coverage. Now a seven year old, Move In Time (9/1) took the race last year for trainer David O’Meara and is on target to try and defend his crown this year, arriving in pretty decent form after a very easy win last time out over course and distance in his warm up race. Softer ground seems to see him at his best so connections will be adverse to the predicted dry spell, but he clocked a pretty decent time last season and cannot be underestimated here, even if he will need to turn around York form with Mecca’s Angel (late non runner).

Sadly, the Dods yard have taken out Mecca’s Angel and he would have undoubtedly been our selection here but the drying ground is all against her and connections live to fight another day. That leaves us looking for a value alternative and after much thought we have come down on the side of Gutaifan (14/1) who gets a stone plus from all his rivals as a juvenile. His form in the context of the two year old scene is absolutely top class, and includes a runners up spot to Shalaa in France in the Prix Morny (so we know he travels), and in receipt of that much weight he certainly comes in to the equation as an each way option and we can’t resist to be honest!

Steps (20/1)is another seven year old but the Roger Varian trained gelding arrives here at the top of his game as well after recent wins at Doncaster and Newbury, though not exactly in this sort of class. His form at Doncaster and Newbury shouldn’t be good enough to get him involved today, but you can never tell with the speedsters and when they are bang in form all things are possible, though we seriously suggest a place is the best he can realistically hope for here.

With the exception of the connections of the other horses, few would begrudge a win here for veteran Irish raider Sole Power (5/1) who has done so much to advertise their sprinters all around the World in recent years. Now an eight year old, he invariably turns out and runs well in Dubai, Hong Kong, anywhere there is a top sprinting prize, and with twelve victories and over £2,000,000 in prize money, they must be doing something right. Renowned for a slow start and a rocket speed finish, he needs everything to go his way to get to the front where it matters, but that is anything but impossible and a win for the gelding would bring the house down.

Lastly, we all know how much William Haggas thinks of Muthmir (6/1), its just a shame the horse fails to repay him too often with just the two wins this season from six attempts. He is more than capable of winning this and reversing York form with Mecca’s Angel if he is in the right frame of mind and everything goes exactly to plan, though that clearly doesn’t happen often enough, and we cannot seriously suggest him here, which may well make him the proverbial good thing!