3 minute read

Britain's best chance in the first French Classic of the season – the 2000 French Guineas (Poule d'Essai desPoulains) – looks to be the Brian Meehan-trained Isaac Shelby.

Originally raced by the Sangster family, he was recently sold to Wathnan Racing, based in Qatar.

After a wet week in Paris, the track remains heavy despite a fine and warm day on Saturday.

Winner of three of his four race starts, Isaac Shelby won the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on his second start outing before suffering his only defeat to date in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, where he finished last behind this year's Qipco 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean.

He resumed in the Group 3 Greenham at Newbury three weeks ago winning by three-lengths over seven furlongs. Chaldean was engaged in the race but lost Frankie Dettori leaving the stalls and stayed with the field but riderless. Meehan reflected on the race:

"It was a nice form boost in a funny sort of way. I'm glad he came back fine after the Greenham and went on and won the Guineas. I thought it was a great race, but it was a shame about the (very soft) ground.

"But Isaac is great. His work is done – it was done before the Greenham. He took it well.

"You just keep them ticking over after a race like that. It's pretty simple, he doesn't have anything to prove.

The concern will be the forecast heavy track:

"I know they are saying it will be heavy ground, but it doesn't really matter what sort of ground we get – we are going to get whatever we get. There's no point in hoping. It is what it is.

"The thing is, he is there on good to firm and good to soft, so we'll take our chance."

"It is very exciting and we're looking forward to it. I'm very happy with him."

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