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Plenty is already being said and written in France about their lacklustre showing in the Deauville Group Ones this month, though with Glycon and Botanik they look to hold two good chances in the final highlight today, the Grand Prix de Deauville.

A lot of the build-up to this race has been about Stay Foolish, the Japanese globetrotter who is at least 5lb clear on ratings. We know he’s a stayer though and that 12 furlongs on fast ground is unlikely to be his ideal set of conditions.

Stay Foolish is being aimed at the Prix de l’Arc, with connections favouring this race to give him five weeks to build towards Paris. For a a horse that only arrived in France 10 days ago, he can certainly be opposed at 6/4 or 11/8 this morning.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s Gylcon is similar in that he also looks better suited to trip in excess of 12 furlongs. He won this last year, but far more is needed on the bare form than a win over The Good Man and Sublimis. If Glycon wasn’t being trained at Deauville, I think he’d probably be scratched from today due to the fast ground like Iresine.

Andre Fabre’s Botanik made all in the trial for this and is a progressive four-year-old that is unbeaten over middle distances. He may have competition for the lead today from Stay Foolish, but Barzalona has said he is versatile and clearly has a soft spot for the son of Golden Horn.  Conditions today look ideal and he is a confident pick to score at odds of 3-1.

2.55pm Deauville – Botanik 3pts win @ 100/30 (William Hill, Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, Sporting Index or 3-1 elsewhere)

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