We have one bet on the Longchamp card this evening, which has frustratingly started off with last month’s bet Pinwheel making all!
Onto the concluding race over 11-furlong at 7.45pm, I expect Innovator to outrun odds of 6/1 in handicap company for trainer Nicolas Caullery.
Innovator was sold for just 8,000 gns this February out of Juddmonte, but has made plenty of improvement for a switch to French racing and leaving Roger Charlton’s. It’s likely on pedigree that this gelded son of Delivery was only going to improve with age, being a close relative of Headman and Flintshire, and similarly I’m also expecting a career-best tonight on better ground than at Compiegne last time. Both those Group One stars were better with firmer going – for all they were punching in a different category to Innovator.
Quite well-fancied last time out in a Compiegne conditions race featuring one of today’s rivals L’Ienissei, he stayed on well in second place when beaten behind Pantall’s impressive winning ‘swimmer’, Motlaen. Rated 35, he appears well-treated to me given than Motlean was hiked 3kg for that success and I like that Caullery takes off 2.5kg with claiming jockey Mobian.
Nothing is particularly scary in this and therefore I will be supporting him with a win-only wager, with most rivals handicapped speculatively on weaker provincial form.
7.45pm Longchamp – 1pt win Innovator @ 6/1 (all firms)
