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Preview: Prix de Vincennes.
This Sunday, Vincennes stages a newly designed programme, focusing on mounted racing with three elite G1 races. Traditionally a Christmas feature event, the G1 Prix de Vincennes over 2700m has been moved forward a week and will crown the three-year-old mounted champion.
Stats For the Notebook
- Jockey Paul-Philippe Ploquin has teamed up with trainer, Julien Le Mer and the pair have won two out of the last four renewals with Fado du Chêne (2018) and Idéale du Chêne (2021)
- The statistic above has an extra interesting angle with both winners holding the kilometre rating record of this race with a 1'13"2.
- Trainer Philippe Allaire has won this race on five occasions with the last time in 2014 with Bird Parker.
With Philippe Allaire having a good record in the race, runners from this stable could be a solid angle to begin with. Joyner Sport will be a contender having shown top-class ability so far in his career with strong efforts including a close second in the driven Critérium des 3 Ans-Q2-Prix Abel Bassigny (G2) behind four-time G1 winning superstar Just A Gigolo in August. The concern is he has only had three mounted outings, but he has displayed promise with a win and a placing. He started favourite at Caen tackling the Saint Léger des Trotteurs (G1) but broke stride in the closing stages when in a good position. He bounced back last time when successful in the Prix Raoul Balliere (G2), a key prep race, and could prove hard to beat for a yard in excellent form.
The main danger could be stablemate J'Aime Le Foot who is a G1 mounted winner when taking out the Saint Léger des Trotteurs (G1) in good style at Caen in October. The colt has been in mixed form since but can easily be involved at the finish on best form.
Jelyson profiles well having recorded all three career victories in mounted races with the latest in September by two lengths contesting the Prix de Basly (G2), finishing ahead of future winner, Jessy de Banville. It is also worth noting all three career wins have come over this course and distance producing a 50%-win strike rate under these conditions, and he ran well last time despite galloping late on in the Prix Louis Tillaye (G2).
Jean-Michel Bazire is currently operating in amazing form having won feature races in recent weekends. Jubile Prior will be making a stable debut if he takes up his engagement and would have a chance despite recent figures not reading strongest. This colt has run well in mounted company previously with one win and one placing from five mounted attempts but could only manage seventh tackling the Saint Léger des Trotteurs (G1) at Caen in October two starts back. He is a previous track and trip winner, and the yard are working at a 32%-win strike rate in last 50 runners.
Jessy de Banville holds claims on paper having filled the runner-up spot contesting the Saint Léger des Trotteurs (G1) at Caen in October beaten just over four lengths three runs ago. She won by a nose on her most recent outing when taking the Prix Urgent (G3) last month at this track. She is worth a second look.
Others to consider include Jakartas des Pres who ran a good second in the Prix Raoul Balliere (G2) last time as well as the third that day, Joyeuse. Jalisco Fligny is a G3 course mounted winner who looks intriguing despite mixed recent form. Jaguar du Goutier and Jodanne Dieschoot are looking consistent and last time track winners. Jupiter could make an eye-catching stable debut if he runs after a fair fourth last time in the Prix Louis Tillaye (G2) and is open to progress.
Jingle Delo and Jeep du Pont both hold placed form in driven Group company and would be making their mounted debuts if they take up their engagements and could be worth market checks.