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| Staff Writer |
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French star Feed The Flame, fresh from a narrow loss in the Prix Ganay, is set to take on the Group One race over a mile and a half. Additionally, talented jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle is confident about his chances in his Epsom debut riding Dancing Gemini, while trainer James Fanshawe is hopeful about his horse Ambiente Friendly's performance in the Betfred Derby.
Feed The Flame is set to compete in the Holland Cooper Coronation Cup on Friday, as trainer Pascal Bary chose the Group One race over a potentially easier assignment in the Gr.2 Grand Prix de Chantilly.
Having previously won the Grand Prix de Paris, the son of Kingman will now return to racing over a mile and a half following a narrow loss to Haya Zark in the Prix Ganay over ten and a half furlongs.
"He's very well and he heads to Epsom," said trainer Pascal Bary on Tuesday morning. "He's in good form and he's a better horse over 2,400 metres [a mile and a half] so I'm happy to be running over there."
During his long career, Bary has occasionally traveled to Britain, and his most notable accomplishment was Natagora's win in the 2008 1,000 Guineas.
"Feed The Flame likes good ground but good to soft would be fine for him and he certainly won't have to cope with anything nearly as deep as he encountered for his comeback in the Prix d'Harcourt at Longchamp. Meanwhile, we've have had plenty of rain in Chantilly."
Feed The Flame started to develop a habit of hesitating at the beginning when he was three years old, but in the Ganay race, he broke well under Cristian Demuro and then settled into his preferred position of waiting behind the leaders.
"He concentrates a lot better now at the start," said Bary.
Dylan Browne McMonagle is confident about his chances of securing a victory in his first ride at the Betfred Derby. The 21YO will be partnering with Dancing Gemini for Roger Teal at Epsom on Saturday.
Having achieved multiple champion apprentice titles in Ireland, Browne McMonagle currently serves as the stable jockey for Joseph O'Brien. He has already secured a Group One win with Al Riffa's victory in the 2022 National Stakes. At Longchamp earlier this month in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Dancing Gemini narrowly missed out on victory by half a length against Metropolitan over a mile. Browne McMonagle is optimistic that the extra four furlongs at Epsom could showcase the talents of the son of Camelot even more effectively.
James Fanshawe emphasized the significance of this Saturday's Betfred Derby for Ambiente Friendly. Despite drifting to 6-1 fourth favorite, Fanshawe is hopeful that his horse can handle the ground. Ambiente Friendly has previously performed well on good to soft and soft ground.
Fanshawe said, “The Derby is our premier Classic and this year it’s the most important race we’ve ever had a runner in. It’s a real privilege to have a horse that’s going to the race with a chance.
“Hopefully, the ground won’t be too much of a problem for Ambiente Friendly. It was testing when he won at Leicester last year and again when he ran in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket when we should have ridden him a bit differently as he set the race up for everyone else.”
The Bill and Tim Gredley-owned colt has done all of his winning away from Newmarket’s Rowley Mile and Fanshawe added, “I was always nervous when he ran at Newmarket as he had breezed four furlongs on the strip next to the Rowley Mile before he was bought.
"He was keen again when we ran him in the Feilden Stakes since when he has switched off beautifully and we’ve done away with the hood that he used to wear. The real revelation at Lingfield was how he went around the corners which should stand him in good stead.”
Fanshawe almost won a British Classic when Spacious came in second in the 1,000 Guineas in 2008.
On his chances of going one better, he added, “All I can say is that he won his trial in a good time and we're hopeful he’ll get the trip and handle the ground. Everything else, such as the draw, is in the lap of the gods.”