Horse Racing Tips: Keith Melrose's Deauville Prix Jacques Le Marois tips

bet365 News Team Updated: 09 Jun 23 12:50 Published: 13 Aug 22 12:41

There is Group 1 action from Deauville on Sunday and Keith Melrose from the Racing Post has picked out his best bets on the card.

1.33 Deauville
Lassaut @ 1/1
1pt win

2.55 Deauville
Inspiral @ 9/4
1pt win

4.05 Deauville
Lastotchka @ 1/1
1pt win

Lassaut to launch Deauville assault

The Listed Prix Nureyev can go the way of the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Lassaut, who is dropping in class having run in two French Classics.

He was sent off at a short price on the PMU (French Tote) for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the French 2,000 Guineas, despite coming into the race off the back of just three runs. His inexperience gave him away in that race, as he was on and off the bridle early but boxed on admirably for fifth just three lengths behind Modern Games.

In the Prix du Jockey Club, his chance was scuppered at the start. He missed the kick and was trapped at the back of the field virtually all the way. Vadeni had flown before Lassaut started to pick off rivals and he did well to finish eighth.

That was more than eight lengths behind Vadeni, but only three and a half lengths off anything else which was a fair achievement in the circumstances.

Major form rivals here include Gordon Stakes fourth Jack Darcy and German Derby also-ran Magical Beat. They are not in the same parish as some of the rivals Lassaut has been mixing with.

Incredible Inspiral to bounce back

After her defeat in the Falmouth, Inspiral has the ignominy of being one of the shortest-priced Group-race losers in British history. On the upside, it has made her a backable price for the Prix Jacques Le Marois, in which her form claims stand out.

There remains nothing wrong with her win in the Coronation Stakes, which is the best performance by a three-year-old miler this year perhaps even considering her fillies' allowance. Newmarket was quite possibly caused by a relatively quick turnaround and/or fast ground. Watering is often more liberal in France, and she has had five weeks to recover this time, so hopes are high that we will see the real Inspiral again.

There are legitimate Group 1 horses in behind, such as fellow Royal Ascot winners State Of Rest and Coroebus, but neither was remotely as impressive as Inspiral and she would have been a warm order for this but for the seeds of doubt sewn by her Newmarket flop. Ascot remains the pertinent run.

Delayed justice in the Minerve

The Group 3 Prix Minerve has attracted some solid British interest in Eternal Pearl and Kawida. They are rightfully top on form shown, but it is fancied that the Jean-Marie Beguigne-trained Lastotchka can improve significantly to give them something to think about.

The selection has moved up a gear on her last two starts. On the first, she ran out a ready winner of a Listed race at Longchamp over this sort of trip and she can arguably be counted as unlucky not to be seeking a hat-trick here.

In the Group 2 Prix de Malleret last time, Lastotchka was forced to wait until the final furlong before unfurling her challenge and she just failed in a three-way go with the Juddmonte-owned Raclette and Aga Khan filly Baiykara, with daylight back to the rest.

Raclette has been supplemented for the Yorkshire Oaks, so is clearly well regarded by Andre Fabre. Lastotchka looked virtually her equal last time and so deserves plenty of respect here.

By Keith Melrose