The concluding handicap for three year olds at Saint-Cloud (4.55pm) looks competitive enough, with several in the field coming into the race on the back of a good run, but though the Laffon-Parias yard appear to have a leading chance with Cazalla, I think her stablemate Seulomonde is overpriced to spring a surprise on his handicap debut.
He is bred to be a good bit better than this level, being by Dubawi out of the 2012 Arc winner Solemia. She may not have enjoyed the success as a broodmare that one might have expected, but she has produced three winners from as many foals prior to Seulomonde, with the only previous colt reaching a mark of 47 (103 UK).
Seulomonde has spoiled his chances by over-racing in his three runs to date, but he has certainly showed the requisite ability to win races, particularly off this lowly mark. In contrast to plenty of today’s rivals, he has been running in highly-competitive maidens in Paris and though the published form figures suggest he was a well-beaten sixth last time, he actually finished a very creditable fifth in atrocious conditions at Chantilly, but was demoted for causing interference.
I’m hopeful that a better pace in handicap company will see him settle better than has been the case so far and, providing that happens, he can go close at a big price.
4.55pm Saint-Cloud – 1pt each-way Seulomonde (14-1 all firms)
