French Derby live on Sky Sports Racing: Big Rock, Feed The Flame and Continuous head to Chantilly for Classic clash | Racing News

June 4, 2023 admin

With Epsom in the rear-view mirror, it is all eyes on Sky Sports Racing on Sunday for the French Derby at Chantilly, live at 3.05pm.

3.05 Chantilly – Big Rock and Feed The Flame star in Classic test

The Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (3.05pm), also known as the French Derby, has €1.5m up for grabs and a place in history for the winner.

The betting is dominated by two of the home favourites with Christopher Head’s Big Rock aiming to make it a perfect five from five for his new trainer.

He returns to Chantilly after lighting up the Group Three Prix de Guiche last month, leaving Padishakh, Rajapour and Flight Leader well behind.

Feed The Flame comes into this unbeaten in two starts and looks to give trainer Pascal Bary a seventh win in the race, with Christophe Soumillon onboard.

Frankie Dettori first won this race back in 1992 and rides Epictetus for John and Thady Gosden, while Ryan Moore, who won this on The Grey Gatsby in 2014, rides Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous.

Marhaba Ya Sanafi caused a shock when winning the French 2000 Guineas last month and may well be overlooked once more here.

1:43 Chantilly – Simca Mille and Haya Zark contest Group Two

Qualification for the Caulfield Cup is on the line for the winner of €130,000 Grand Prix de Chantilly (1.43pm), with five going to post.

Stephane Wattel’s Simca Mille got caught late on in the Group One Prix Ganay but had classy pair Bay Bridge and Vadeni in behind him that day and a reproduction of that form would see him hard to beat.

Christophe Soumillion rides Haya Zark, who arrives here on the back of a Group Three win at ParisLongchamp but finished behind Simca Mille on his penultimate run.

Jean-Marie Beguigne’s filly Lastotchka is taking on the boys after returning with a good effort behind Melo Melo in the Listed Gold River Stakes at ParisLongchamp last month.

My Lyka (Hisashi Shimizu) and Kertez (Andre Fabre) complete the field.

5:35 Chantilly – Hat-trick seeking Believing the one to beat

A field of 12 classy sprinters do battle in the Group Two Prix du Gros-Chene (5.35) over five furlongs, with five of the runners coming across the English Channel.

George Boughey’s Believing is on the hunt for an epic hat-trick having steadily gone up in grade from a Listed victory at Chelmsford to the Group Three Prix Texanita here last month.

Karl Burke’s Marshman won on his seasonal debut at Chantilly but will need to step up on his fifth in the Duke Of York latest.

Vadream flies the flag for Charlie Fellowes after her victory over a good field in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket last time.

Of the home team, Couer De Pierre finished third in the Prix de L’Abbaye behind The Platinum Queen in the autumn and should be considered.