Scorpion faces stiff French task

Racing : Aidan O'Brien's hope Scorpion is rated a 7 to 1 shot to become just the third Irish winner of the Prix du Jockey Club…

Racing: Aidan O'Brien's hope Scorpion is rated a 7 to 1 shot to become just the third Irish winner of the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly tomorrow, but faces a stiff task against the main home hope Hurricane Run.

It will be the first time the French Derby will be run over a mile and two and a half furlongs, but there is one definite link with the past as both Hurricane Run, Scorpion and O'Brien's other hope Falstaff are all by the great 1999 winner Montjeu.

Hurricane Run is a clear 7 to 4 favourite for the race which will be live on Attheraces and the colt's trainer Andre Fabre has already made favourable comparisons with another past Jockey Club winner Peintre Celebre.

Carideas, who races in the colours of the President of Ireland, is one of nine runners in the preceding Group Two Grand Prix de Chantilly and the Dermot Weld-trained colt will be ridden by Pat Smullen.

READ MORE

Weld will have a runner at this evening's Killbeggan fixture and Akshar is a clear ratings pick in the conditions hurdle. However, he does appear out of form and it may be wise to rely on the consistent Tous Les Tables.

At Navan tomorrow Michael Kinane can get punters off to a good start with Briland in the opener while at Tralee High Priestess should finally win over hurdles in the novice race.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column