Style Vendome and What A Name enhance Guineas claims in France

All eyes may have been upon the jumps-based festivities at Aintree at the weekend, but on the other side of the English Channel informative trials for the first Classics of the flat season were run at Maisons-Lafitte, with Style Vendome and What A Name enhancing their standings in the 2000 and 1000 Guineas betting.  The pair are now 14/1 and 16/1 with Coral for the Newmarket Classics respectively.

Once Thierry Tulliez got a run on the Nicholas-Clement-trained Style Vendome the Anabaa colt put the race to bed comfortably, running out a two-and-half-length winner. He has some way to go to emulate the exploits of his sire’s most successful progeny – 14-time-Group-1-winning mare Goldikova – but has nonetheless now won four of his five career races.

No decision has yet been made on whether he’ll compete in the 2000 Guineas or its French equivalent, but trainer Clement can certainly be relied upon to ready a Newmarket contender, having saddled French Fifteen to finish second to Camelot after success in the same race last year and the straight mile at Maisons-Lafitte will have been an ideal preparation.

Meanwhile What A Name struck for Michel Delzangles in the Prix Imprudence, previously won by Natagora on her way to 1000 Guineas glory in 2008, and her trainer, who saddled Makfi to victory in the English colts classic, admitted a trip to Newmarket in May would be “a big preference”.

It was a win on her return to fillies-only company after two wins and a second when mixing it with the boys as a juvenile, where the peak of her form was a close second to multiple group-level winner Olympic Glory.

After her ready success in the Group 3 contest she shares 6/1 favouritism in the 1000 Guineas betting with Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Certify and the Charlie Hills inmate Just the Judge.

Her chance came belatedly and the Mr Greeley filly showed a tactical speed which will stand her in good stead on the Rowley Mile, to show punters just why the Racing Post’s Pricewise column had tipped her for the 1000 Guineas.