Intello Favourite to give Fabre Third French Derby Victory

Trainer Andre Fabre won the Prix du Jockey Club with Peintre Celebre in 1997 and Lope de Vega in 2010 and has two strong challengers this year.

Intello was an impressive winner of the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket prior to his Guineas run but it was his latest run at Longchamp that caught the eye. The Guineas was run at a muddling pace and Intello had to switch to the wide outside to deliver his challenge, gaining with every stride in the final furlong.

Andre Fabre has a useful second string with Sky Hunter, unbeaten in three starts and the mount of Maxime Guyon.

Narrowly ahead of Intello at Longchamp was Dastarhon who has been supplemented for this race after that excellent run, although his trainer has admitted that he does not want the ground too soft. Morandi (sixth) was another that did not enjoy the clearest of runs and could improve over the extra distance.

The Aga Khan has two live challengers in Dalwari, ridden by Christophe Lemaire, and Shikarpour (Thierry Jarnet). Dalwari won the Prix de Guiche at Chantilly with plenty in hand whilst Shikarpour steps up from a win in a maiden race on his only start.

Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride Irish raider First Cornerstone who is making a quick reappearance after finishing fifth in last weekend’s Irish 2,000 Guineas. Ireland will also be represented by Loch Garman who chased home Battle Of Marengo in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. The son of Teofilo was a Group 1 winner at Saint-Cloud on heavy ground last season so should not be inconvenienced by the surface.

There are two big priced outsiders from Britain, with the Jo Hughes-trained Glacial Age and Ann Duffield’s Willie The Whipper. The two horses finished third and fourth to Irish Guineas winner Magician at Chester last month and that form now looks a lot more respectable. However, both horses must overcome a bad draw with Glacial Age and Hayley Turner widest of all in stall 19.

Mshawish, runner-up to Dalwari in the Prix de Guiche, re-opposes but is another that does not want too much rain. Brigadino is an interesting contender having finished second to Epsom fifth Ocovango on his latest start. He got to within half a length of the Fabre runner at the line and was far from disgraced.