Fille de l’Air very much a tricky affair

10 November 2023

Sea The Lady on course for a first Group victory in Saturday's Prix Fille de l'Air at Toulouse

Traditionally the final Group race of the year on the domestic calendar, Toulouse’s Gr.3 Prix Fille de l’Air pits 3 year-old fillies against their older counterparts over 2100m and, in the past ten editions, it is level-pegging between the two camps.

On this occasion, the eight French 3 year-olds look markedly superior to the lone mare in the field, the Spanish-based Hardpia, who ran 3rd in 2021 before finishing unplaced 12 months on.

Highest-rated in the field, Sea The lady ran third in the German Oaks during the summer before disappointing in a Newmarket Gr.3 on re-entry last month, but Yann Barberot will be confident that she can bounce right back.

Jérôme Reynier is double-handed here; Une Perle has progressed nicely and her recent Gr.3 Prix de Flore 4th place was a lot better than it may seem, while Maliparmi was supplemented in light of her fine Listed win at Le Capannelle a fortnight ago and, never having raced beyond a mile does not appear to concern her handler.

Alex Pantall sends out the Godolphin-owned Dubawi filly, Dancing Goddess, who is unbeaten in two starts since leaving the UK, latterly a Longchamp Listed, and whose limits are still to be determined.

Turn Cartwheels most recently ran 5th in a Chantilly Gr.3 after having clinched a Listed at La Teste and, as one of the locals, is not to be ignored.

Perama, trained in Pau at the in-form François Rohaut stable, looks to have a good hand to play, as does the Paris-based pair of Yorokobi, owned by footballer Antoine Griezmann, and Carlos Laffon-Parias’ Higgle who drops back in trip after finishing a good second in a 2400m Listed at the same track last month.

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