A couple of tricky cards in France today (I may back one at a price at Lyon later, but will post if so), but I do think Lifrenchteen is an attractive price at Fontainebleau.
She won a 1m4f handicap in May on heavy ground at Nantes, which takes some getting, and I though she ran considerably better than the ninth place would suggest on her next outing at ParisLongchamp later that month.
She was given a break until reappearing in a competitive handicap on the All-Weather at Deauville, where she travelled well enough but just looked to tire on what was her first start in five months. That spin should have brought her along plenty and the return to soft ground, for the first time since that handicap win, with both sire French Fifteen and damsire Whipper being soft-ground influences.
Though trained by Walter Delalande (who only has a handful in training), she is part-owned by trainer Ed Monfort and it is interesting to see Leo Roussel make the trip to Fontainebleau for one ride on the card in a race that is restricted to jockeys that have ridden less than 12 winners this season – presumably on the recommendation of the part-owner! Roussel has won on five of his 15 rides for the Monfort yard this season, and his record when heading to the track for one ride for the trainer is 1401131, so it does look a relatively significant jockey booking.
She has three kilos to find at the weights with two of her rivals, but as a proven stayer, with form on the ground and coming here a fresh horse at the end of the season, she could bounce back to winning ways.
2.00pm Fontainebleau – 1pt win, 0.5pt place Lifrenchteen @ 12-1 (all firms)
