Relative to last weekend and the next few to come, Sunday’s action at Longchamp may seem calm in comparison, but the programme comprises ten races, including a pair of Listed events, and the Prix d’Hédouville, a 2400m Gr.3 for older horses, won in 2023 by Haya Zark, none other than last weekend’s surprise winner of the Prix Ganay.

Galashiels continues the path upwards after winning the Listed Prix Lord Seymour three weeks ago and certainly merits a first Group success. Goliath ran second to him at Longchamp mid-April, when making his first start for 7.5 months, and will be expected to have made up ground in the interim, possibly even enough to turn the tables.

Winner of three of her four starts thus far, and very impressive on her comeback run at Chantilly at the end of March, Shakti is worth a good look in on her first attempt at Group level. Deauville Listed winner, Rashford, was surprisingly lacklustre in the Prix Lord Seymour and will need to show marked improvement.

The Listed Prix de la Seine, for 3 year-old fillies and run over 2200m, is a springboard to the Prix de Diane and, although few in number, it promises to be an interesting contest. Gala Real was a most impressive winner of a Saint-Cloud Class 2 on her comeback last month, not by the 11 lengths margin she opened up when securing her maiden at Lyon-Parilly last November, but ample to give part-owner, Carlos Ancelotti, aspirations of classic success.

For fillies and mares, 4 and up, the Prix Gold River covers 2800m and sees the return of Francis Graffard’s exciting Melo Melo, close second in last September’s Prix Vermeille. On paper, she faces no obvious danger, and a good run at the weekend would open up a host of other options over the summer months.