Prix Djebel, Imprudence start Guineas trial season

Thursday's Prix Djebel (Fr-G3) at Maisons-Laffitte offers the opportunity for

a clutch of French colts to stake a claim for the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1),

with one of the most intriguing being the unbeaten Andre Fabre project Make

Believe (Makfi).

A half-brother to the high-class Dubawi Heights (Dubawi), Prince Faisal's

rare foal purchase had the re-opposing fellow Guineas entry Sinfonietta (Sinndar)

back in second on his debut over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville in late October

before following up over the same trip at Saint-Cloud the following month. By

Makfi, who annexed this race in 2010 prior to taking Newmarket by storm, the

unexposed colt will make a serious impact on the upcoming classic if he is able

to upstage some solid if unexciting rivals.

Chief among them is Nucifera (More Than Ready), who met his match in Full

Mast (Mizzen Mast) when second in the Prix la Rochette (Fr-G3) at Longchamp in

September before finishing eighth of nine in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1)

back there on Arc day.

Full Mast's stable companion Alpha Bravo (Oasis Dream) represents Khalid

Abdullah and Criquette Head-Maarek here, having filled the runner's-up spot

behind the enterprisingly ridden Fabre-trained filly Alea Iacta (Invincible

Spirit) in the Prix Thomas Bryon (Fr-G3) over a mile at Saint-Cloud in October.

Despite being comprehensively outgunned by that lone runner, the homebred still

managed to best Karaktar (High Chaparral) as he won the battle for minor honors

on the far rail and the Aga Khan's colt was very impressive in the Prix Francois

Mathet on Saturday.

In the absence of the One Thousand Guineas(Eng-G1)-bound High Celebrity

(Invincible Spirit), Thursday's Prix Imprudence (Fr-G3) looks a soft touch for

Ervedya (Siyouni). Whether or not the leading three-year-old filly of the Pau

stable of Jean-Claude Rouget will be in the line-up across the sea in just over

four weeks' time remains to be seen, but she would be one of the main contenders

if she builds on her solid juvenile form.

Last seen finishing runner-up to Ballydoyle's current Guineas ante-post

favorite Found (Galileo) in the flagship Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-G1) on

Longchamp's Arc card, the homebred who had previously won over six furlongs in

Deauville's Prix de Cabourg (Fr-G3) and finished third in that track's Prix

Morny (Fr-G1) in August sets the standard.

If there is a "dark horse" lurking among the field, it could be Fontanelice

(Vale of York), who has been switched to the Criquette Head-Maarek barn which

holds the record of 10 winners of this prize. Formerly with Stefano Botti, one

of the luminaries of a beleaguered Italian racing scene in 2014 dead-heated in

the six-furlong Premio Primi Passi (Ity-G3) and captured the Premio Dormello

(Ity-0G3) over a mile at the San Siro in June and October, respectively.

Effective from the front, the bay encounters testing ground for the first time

and that could prove her achilles heel.

Ameenah (American Post}) had the highly promising but ultimately

disappointing Night of Light (Sea the Stars) and Kenouska (Kendargent) back in

second and third, respectively, in the Prix Miesque (Fr-G3) over this course and

distance in November and could yet enter the fray for Newmarket, despite not

holding an entry at present.

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