Brundtland and Morgan Le Faye primed for Prix Royal-Oak

Brundtland and Morgan Le Faye primed for Prix Royal-Oak

Progressive stayers Brundtland and Morgan Le Faye each are after a first G1 victory in the Prix Royal-Oak at Chantilly, France, on Sunday, 28 October.

Both horses ran excellent races at Longchamp on 6 October, with three-year-old Brundtland (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) stretching his unbeaten record to four when gamely beating Lillian Russell by half a length over the same trip of 15 furlongs in the G2 Prix Chaudenay.

The Dubawi colt also showed his battling qualities at Longchamp with a rallying victory in the 12-furlong G2 Prix Niel in September, having previously gained comfortable wins over shorter distances in a Clairefontaine Listed race in August and a Newmarket maiden last year.

Morgan Le Faye (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona), a four-year-old Shamardal filly, drops down in distance after coming home a close third over two and a half miles in the G1 Prix du Cadran.

That career-best performance followed a staying-on third in the extended 15-furlong G3 Prix Gladiateur at Longchamp in September and fourth behind another Godolphin runner Kitesurf in the G2 Darley Prix de Pomone over three furlongs shorter at Deauville in August.

The Godolphin duo face seven others in the Prix Royal-Oak including G1 Irish St Leger victor Flag Of Honour, Prix du Cadran runner-up Holdthasigreen and Prix Gladiateur scorer Called To The Bar.

Charlie Appleby reported: “Brundtland has done nothing but progress with each race and showed that he is not short of stamina in the Prix Chaudenay.

“He came out of that race very well and we felt that this was a great opportunity to try and win a G1 with him.

“He gets a three-year-old weight allowance and should be very competitive.”

Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin added “Morgan Le Faye has produced good staying performances in the Prix Gladiateur and the Prix du Cadran, when she got a little tired at the end.

“This looks like a tough race on the ratings, but she has very serious place claims and any cut in the ground will help.”

Sunday’s Chantilly card also includes the final two-year-old G1 in Europe this year, the Criterium International over seven furlongs, in which Royal Meeting looks to follow up an exciting debut success.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Invincible Spirit colt quickened strongly in the closing stages to capture in pleasing style a seven-furlong maiden at Yarmouth by half a length on 19 September.

Ridden for the first time by Christophe Soumillon and drawn three, his six rivals are headed by Kessaar, winner of the G2 Mill Reef Stakes, G1 Fillies’ Mile second Hermosa and Newmarket G3 runner-up Bye Bye Hong Kong.

Saeed bin Suroor commented: “Royal Meeting is a nice colt, who has done very well since winning on debut at Yarmouth, and seven furlongs is the right trip for him at the moment.

 “He could be anything in the future and heads to France in good form.”