Our first bet in France today is a newcomer at Lyon Parilly, but I think the price is far too big this morning and it is worth taking the chance.
The standard set by those at the head of the market looks no more than average and as a filly newcomer and ridden by Marie Velon, Nouvelle Belle gets all the allowances, so she won’t have to be anything special to win.
Her trainer Florian Guyader took out his licence this year, having previously been assistant trainer to Matthieu Palussiere and then Andrew Hollinshead (who took over the Con Marnane horses last season from Palussiere). He therefore has plenty of experience of training two year olds and he ran his first two juveniles of the season at Chantilly on Tuesday, which finished first and second.
After a quiet start to the year, the yard is in great form and celebrated a Listed success with another sprinter at Chantilly last month.
Nouvelle Belle’s dam was a winner over 5f as a May two year old and went on to finish second in Listed company, so she is bred to be useful. With her yard’s two year olds clearly ready to go first time, she is worth supporting today.
2.52pm Lyon Parilly – 1pt each-way Nouvelle Belle @ 12-1 (all firms)
Our second (and late!) bet on the card is on Kharsang, who looks too big at 8-1 for her seasonal return.
Her debut third at Krefeld last November has worked out relatively well, and it is encouraging that her connections thought it worth running her in Listed company in Italy on just her second start. She finished down the field that day, but entries in the German and Italian Guineas, both of which are recent entries, suggest she has been working well – she would certainly have to win this well to justify those engagements.
Henk Grewe is always a trainer to follow on his raids in France and he sends Kharsang on her own to Lyon, which suggests he expects a big run.
5.40pm Lyon Parilly – 1pt win Kharsang @ 8-1 (all firms)