Horse Racing Trader’s Tips: Auteuil Preview – Saturday 16th May

Our trader Mark Underhill previews the day’s racing

Flat racing has restarted with a bang since the return of French racing on Monday. We’ve had seven Group races already this week, but it’s the Auteuil track which takes centre-stage today.

It’s time for France’s top jumpers to compete with a two-day fixture at the Parisian track, live on the Sky Sports Racing camera.

Sunday’s card may feature the Prix du President da la Republique, a valuable Grade 3 handicap chase, considered the French equivalent to the Grand National, but Saturday’s nine-race card features several valuable prizes, getting underway with the 11:05.

Prix Murat (13:35)

Saturday’s feature race starts at 13:35 with the 2m 6f Grade 2 Prix Murat. There’s over £122,000 in prize money to be won too, with the race usually a significant pointer towards the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

With this year’s revised programme, the Prix Murat is the obvious trial for the Grade 1 which is scheduled to take place at Auteuil on Sunday 7th June.

The field includes last year’s impressive Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris winner Carriacou, who is just as effective over this shorter trip and has the benefit of having had a run out over hurdles in March.

The eight-year-old gelding must give weight to all opponents under the conditions of the race, and with his main target coming in three weeks’ time, he looks like he could be vulnerable here.

The Francois Nicolle-trained Figuero looks likely to be sent off as the favourite, when you take into consideration that he routed the opposition to win by a fair way over course and distance in the Grade 1 Prix de Maurice Gillois back in November.