One bet on the Saint-Cloud card this afternoon, with the exciting Surimar a really interesting contender in a competitive class 2 (2.00pm).

A 210,000gns foal, the daughter of Sea The Stars made a really pleasing start when runner-up at Clairefontaine in July over 1m4f, looking the likely winner when quickening clear a couple of furlongs out, before being reeled in late on.

She duly went one better over 1m3f at the same course last time, but the winning margin of a nose doesn’t tell the whole story.  She travelled really well in rear that day and Eddy Hardouin was motionless the whole way up the straight, but with a wall of horses in front of him.  Surimar did incredibly well to quicken in the final 50 yards to get up on the line, but she was certainly worth a good bit more than the winning margin!  Hardouin now switches to Trabuco, but I would imagine the booking of Peslier may have been the decision of the owner, given he was also on board Sibila Spain for the first time when winning in Listed company for these owners at Longchamp earlier this month.

She looks a really progressive filly and though a few of these have significantly stronger form in the book (notably Vrigny and Bialystok), she looks a fast-improving sort with the pedigree and physical scope to progress further.

2.00pm Saint-Cloud – 1pt win, 0.5pt place Surimar @ 10-1 (all firms)