The 2.00pm contest at Saint-Cloud this afternoon is a 10 ½ furlong conditions race that I think could well throw up a surprise.
7/4 favourite Influx was a horse last year that threatened to win a very nice race for Christophe Ferland. In 2022 he could hardly be in better hands, transferred to Francis-Henri Graffard, and he was described as a potential stayer to us when we spoke to Graffard last month for this site (link here).
The five-year-old has been underwhelming in his three starts this year and it has to be a big concern that today he drops in trip by 300m. He has hung badly to his right lately when under pressure and his apprentice jockey Luca Carboni may struggle to get the maximum out of him.
Future History has won both his starts this year for Juddmonte. Rated 41.0 now, he carries a 2kg penalty and is another that has looked ungenuine in a finish, flashing his tail. He could win but climbs up in grade today and isn’t too appealing at 15/8.
Panjaman has a rating that can take this but anyone that saw his run at Angers last month will find it easy to pass him over at 5-1.
My selection Django Unchained has a 362-day break to overcome but Henk Grewe’s son of Pastorius is lightly-raced and has the back-class to win this, having finished second in the 2020 Arc Weekend Sales Race to Jadoomi. Grewe’s string have been in better form, admittedly, but he saddled Virginia Storm to be 2nd in a Group Two on Sunday at 22-1 and the selection defied a 5-month break to win his maiden at Strasbourg last April with ease. Two of his half-brothers, Django Freeman and Dicaprio, both placed at Group One level, so there could be better days ahead for our selection today.
Injured in June, he has been off since, but looks far too big at 8-1 today with most operators.
2.00pm Saint-Cloud – 1pt win Django Unchained @ 8-1 (all firms)
DJANGO UNCHAINED – BEST ODDS
William Hill
17/2
Quinnbet – Review
8-1
Fitzdares – Review
8-1
Odds correct at time of publication.
