Can Inspiral turn the tables on Triple Time in star-studded Jacques le Marois at Deauville?

The Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois has assembled one of the deepest fields seen anywhere in Europe this season over a mile. 

The first three from last year's race take on the first three from this year's Queen Anne, with Inspiral and Light Infantry the common denominators in both races.

Victory for Inspiral would provide John and Thady Gosden with a fourth consecutive win in the Group 1, while Frankie Dettori is bidding for a record-extending eighth victory in the race, having first claimed this summer highlight aboard the mighty Dubai Millennium in 1999.

Should Inspiral complete the double there will be plenty of plaudits for the Gosdens after she finished down the field in the Sussex Stakes less than a fortnight ago. 

That was only a third start for the daughter of Frankel since winning the 2022 Marois and that might not be sufficient evidence to judge whether she retains the same ability, with only the Queen Anne showing her in anything like her previous true light. She should at least get her favoured sound surface here. 

If the Queen Anne does turn out to be the key formline then Triple Time could arguably offer a shade of value in the market against Big Rock and Inspiral. Like Inspiral he was making his first start of the season in the Queen Anne and is entitled to come on as least as much, while he has enjoyed a more conventional preparation after trainer Kevin Ryan elected to skip Goodwood. 

Light Infantry and Erevann pushed Inspiral very close last year and could again figure. Light Infantry seems to have a particular affinity with Deauville's straight mile and, while he may hit his usual flat spot, the presence of Big Rock might mean Jamie Spencer does not have to sit with a target on his back. 

Erevann: finished third in this race last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sent off as favourite for the 1m2½f Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, Big Rock would have been a good winner but for a huge performance from Ace Impact. His trainer Christopher Head had previously brought the Rock Of Gibraltar colt swiftly through the ranks at 1m1f before Classic and the conclusion he drew after the race is that the petrol gauge ran out close home, an opinion at least partially backed up by a final furlong run in 12.24s. 

Marhaba Ya Sanafi seems to be consistently underestimated and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner also drops back to a mile after finishing two and a half lengths behind Big Rock in third, while Ryan Moore comes in for the ride. 

Good Guess was unlucky in the Poulains before setting the record straight in the Prix Jean Prat and is surely the one to concentrate on in preference to the long-absent Onesto when choosing between the Fabrice Chappet pair. 

Triple Time and Hi Royal bid to add to Ryan success story in Deauville

Kevin Ryan has some fond memories of this particular stretch of the Normandy coast, having sent out Brando to win a Prix Maurice de Gheest in 2017, while Hello Youmzain, East and Amadeus Wolf have also finished in the money in Group 1 company at Deauville.

In Triple Time and Hi Royal - his first runners in the Jacques le Marois - Ryan has two excellent chances of boosting his record. Triple Time returned from a break of 262 days to deny Inspiral in the Queen Anne, having ended 2022 getting bogged down behind Erevann in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein.

Triple Time and Neil Callan (yellow silks) beat Inspiral in the Queen AnneCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"It’s hard to go to Ascot and win first time and Triple Time is bound to have come on for the run," said Ryan. "He was quite fresh and we knew he’d probably improve for the run and it stands to him that he could win first time. He’s been training well since. He’s never missed a day and we’re delighted with him going into the race."

Hi Royal produced a huge display when overcoming odds of 150-1 to chase home Chaldean in the 2,000 Guineas, a performance he backed up when third to Paddington in the Irish version. A never-threatening ninth in the Prix Jean Prat  last month was a backwards step but Ryan is prepared to put a line through that run.

"He missed the break last time and just got behind. When you’re coming back to seven furlongs, you can’t afford to do that," said Ryan. "He’s back up to a mile, is in good form and we’re looking forward to seeing him run."

Inspiral aiming at Marois immortality but must recover from Sussex setback

Inspiral bids for more history than just that attached to Frankie Dettori and the Gosdens' attempt at winning a fourth straight Jacques le Marois.

Sponsors the Niarchos Family were responsible for the first two double-winners of the race in Miesque (1987, 1988) and Spinning World (1986, 1987), since when only Palace Pier has won twice.

Inspiral arrived here 12 months ago with questions to answer following a surprise defeat to Prosperous Voyage at odds of 1-7 in the Falmouth Stakes, a reverse connections were inclined to put down to a quick turnaround after her comeback success in the Coronation Stakes. 

Inspiral (third from right) wins the 2022 Prix Jacques le MaroisCredit: Edward Whitaker

The circumstances of Inspiral's even faster turnaround from a washout in the Sussex Stakes 11 days ago are different, given she already has a gallant second-placed effort behind Triple Time under her belt.

Joint-trainer John Gosden said: "We made it very clear before Goodwood that Inspiral may not like the ground and in the end Frankie wrapped her up when she found the ground too deep.

"We're aware the races are close together but she came out of that in great form and is very lightly raced this season. It's competitive as you would expect but she won the race last year and we're very happy going back."

What they say

Jean-Claude Rouget, trainer of Erevann
He knocked himself slightly in his box the eve of the Messidor but he was off for only four days. He hasn’t had a busy season and I hope he’ll have a good autumn. He seems to act on every type of going. Maybe his ability to handle heavy ground gives him an advantage over others but he put in a great performance on quick ground in last year’s race. If he can finish in the first three that would be perfect ahead of the Prix du Moulin and then Ascot at the end of the year.

Fabrice Chappet, trainer of Onesto and Good Guess
Onesto suffered a minor hold-up in the spring which has now come right and I’m extremely happy with his condition. This Group 1 isn’t an objective in itself. It falls well as preparation for the Irish Champion Stakes, in which he ran such a superb race last year. After that he’ll have entries in all the international Group 1s. As for Good Guess, he's remained in excellent shape since his win in the Prix Jean Prat, when he gave the impression he would stay another 200 metres with no problem.

Andre Fabre, trainer of Life In Motion
She enjoyed the straight course last time and although the ground will be different, she’s fine. There aren’t too many options for her.

Andreas Schutz, trainer of Marhaba Ya Sanafi
The owner was keen to give him a break over the summer and then run him in this race and I can't see any reason why he won't handle it. I'm happy with his preparation. I'm looking forward to a big run. He's shown he can be on the speed but he came from behind in the Jockey Club so I'll leave that to the jockey.

Mario Baratti, trainer of Angers
After the German Guineas I didn't want to bring him back to seven furlongs for the Prix Jean Prat and so there wasn't a huge amount of choice of where to run in France so we're having a crack at a good race. We've always believed in him - you wouldn't run in a Guineas if you didn't have faith. We'll know on Sunday if he has progressed, you won't find that out in the morning.

Christopher Head, trainer of Big Rock
Big Rock has run some extraordinary times and it was unfortunate to run into Ace Impact in the Jockey Club but I’m happy because it has helped us a lot in mapping out his programme for the rest of the season. We’re trying him over a straight mile and I think that will be his profile going forward. He has a lot of experience of training on a straight track and I think he has all the assets to handle it in a race. We’ve already seen him on all types of ground.

Read these next:

Inspiral v Triple Time v Big Rock: assessing the leading contenders for the Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday 

'Choosing between them is far from easy' - Tom Segal with two double-figure chances in the Jacques le Marois 

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