 Tim Carroll 's Bio | |
|---|---|
| Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following. | |
Deauville Racecourse – Track Analysis (Prix Jean Prat Day)
Situated on the North Coast of France, Deauville – long hailed as French Racing’s mid-summer haven – while being one of four French tracks to host G1 races on the flat, is not short of action, comes every August, both on and off the track. Its auxiliary Yearling Sales, in particular, is traditionally a prime marketplace for major owners and breeders to replenish their racing stock – and certainly scout for the next superstar on turf. Deauville Racecourse is comprised of two turf tracks – round and a straight course – both of which are relatively flat with only minor undulations.
The round course is oval in shape with right-handed sweeping bends and a circumference of 2200m, along with a straight run in of approximately 420m. The straight mile course conducts races from 1000m to 1600m, and joins the round course at the top of the home straight. In addition, there is a polytrack on the inside of the turf course, 2000m in circumference.
There are seven turf races for coverage on Prix Jean Prat Day, six on the straight course and one on the round course.
Six races on the straight course are three 1200m races, including 2yo fillies unraced, Class 2 Handicap and the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis. Two 1400m races, the featured race G1 Prix Jean Prat and Listed Prix Amandine, and the 1600m Listed Prix Goldikova will be also held on this course. The straight course is relatively flat, but as the draw is usually from the grandstand side, with barrier 1 being closest to the grandstand rail, the field tends to come down the grandstand side and the centre of the track. However, fields of fourteen or more can see the field split into two and even three groups.
The 1400m Listed Prix Roland de Chambure will be the only race held on the round course. The round course is fair to all runners but keep in mind they tend to run middle distance and staying races in France at moderate tempos, which can make it difficult for those at the back to pick up the leaders in larger fields. There is no barrier bias over 1400m.
Last year’s Prix Jean Prat was run on Soft ground with a field of twelve going to post. On leaving the stalls the field headed to grandstand side but stayed away from the outside rail and soon split into two groups with smaller group coming down the centre of the track. INDESTRUCTIBLE took up the running on the grandstand side, closely followed by SHOULDVEBEENARING, with GOOD GUESS in mid division, whilst SAUTERNE led the group down the centre of the track with CHALDEAN close in behind. With 450m to go, INDESTRUCTIBLE came under a ride as SAUTERNE got to the front in the middle of the track on his own, and it was at this point that CHALDEN started to be ridden along but with very little response. However, GOOD GUESS was now being produced on the grandstand side as he and SAUTERNE cleared out from the others. But GOOD GUESS found plenty over the concluding stages to go on to win comfortably by three-length, with SAUTERNE, who was all on his own in the middle of the track in second, and it was a further three-length back to BREIZH SKY, who picked up the pieces late to grab third.
The weather forecast for Deauville during the week is suggesting mostly clear days in the lead-up, however there is a chance of showers midweek. Three of the last five renewals of the Prix Jean Pratt have been run on ground with Good in the description, and if the forecast is correct, then it’s likely to be the same this year.
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