13.20 Auteuil, Prix Claude le Lorrain
Philip Hobbs sends over a rare runner to Auteuil today in Garde La Victoire, and he looks to have a great chance in today’s race. He is up against some decent French horses in Lord Prestige and the race-fit Hippomene but Garde La Victorire is highest rated and carries just 10-8.
He is making his seasonal debut, but he has won first time out for the last two seasons so he is capable of winning this without a recent run. You would also have to think that they wouldn’t bring him all the way across the channel if he wasn’t fully ready for this, especially with 85,000 euros in prize money at stake.
The ground is currently very soft at Auteuil, which shouldn’t be a problem for a horse that has performed best on soft and heavy ground. None of our bookmakers seem prepared to put up prices for this event, but there is betting available on the exchanges and on the PMU. Hippomene is currently the favourite at 3.80 on the PMU, with Garde La Victoire currently around 11.0, which seems way too big. The French news site Equidia seemed to have dismissed the chances of Garde La Victoire, by not even including him in their Pronostic for the first 6 placing’s which could be contributing to him being such a big price on the PMU. I can’t see him going off at a double figure price, but for me anything above 4.0 would be a price worth getting involved.
Recommended Bet
Garde La Victoire, 4.0+ on the PMU
