FRANCE OCTOBER 07

SADDEX INTERESTING FOR HONG KONG

DYLAN THOMAS (42) has never shown greater determination than when winning the Arc. He held on grimly while tiring visibly through the last furlong. If he were mine I wouldn't risk running him again this season. It looks to me that he's done enough for the year.

The pair of pacemakers employed by Coolmore to help Dylan Thomas also benefited YOUMZAIN (42) who staged a terrific run to almost get up.

Youmzain can look awful when he's caught flat-footed off a slow early pace. So I wouldn't fancy his chances in the Breeders' Cup Turf or the Hong Kong Cup as they invariably go a moderate gallop in those contests. I reckon his connections should wait till the Dubai Sheema Classic next Spring.

SAGARA (41) has shown steady improvement throughout the season and ran yet another lifetime best to take third with a strong late run. It looks likely that he'll be a contender for all the big mile and a half races next year.

It's clear that Andre Fabre was right to tell the owner of GETAWAY (41) that his horse would win a Group 1 for him someday. Indeed on this run Getaway is now the fastest member of Fabre's ever-growing German battalion. He could easily develop into another Shirocco just as his owner predicted.

SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (40) was hampered by the winner but clearly wouldn't have won. SADDEX (38) is a bit more interesting as I suspect he would have preferred a slower pace. He's beaten some of the best horses in Europe this year in slow run races. So I'd rather fancy his chances in Hong Kong where they invariably go a slow gallop in longer races. I'd oppose him in the Japan Cup though as they virtually always go a strong pace in the huge fields that race attracts.

SHEDIAK A FUTURE STAR

I was very impressed with the way that SHEDIAK (34) rallied to take third after pulling like a train and then getting unbalanced in the Grand Criterium. My gut feel is that his jockey was right to say he will prove to be the best horse that ran in the race.

Shediak is a great big, tall, long-striding beast who has run as green as grass in all three of his races to date. He looked all over the winner in the Prix la Rochette but began to get that totally formless look inexperienced horses do when they've been out in front too long. His ears were going all over the place and he was clearly looking for company as he edged first to the centre of the course and then towards the rail. He clearly ran green again here.

At this point I can't think of a better candidate for next year's Prix du Jockey Club than Shediak. He looks a bit too tall and scopey to be effective at the mile of the French Guineas.

The winner RIO DE LA PLATA (37) scored impressively. But I wish he'd run a bit faster. His time does rank as Group 1 for a two year old. However this is the second time he's earned the same rating from me and I'm now beginning to wonder whether he can go much faster. Only time will tell.

ZARKAVA LOOKS GOOD FOR THE PRIX DE DIANE

ZARKAVA (37) produced a devastating turn of foot to run past her rivals in the Marcel Boussac as though they were standing still. I'm not at all sure however that it's a smart move to bet her for either the 1000 Guineas or the Oaks. She looked a ten furlong horse here and her obvious target just has to be the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) which is run over 10.5 furlongs.

MYSTIC LIPS GETS INTERESTING

Germany seems to produce far more than it's fair share of good mile and a half fillies. And I strongly suspect that MYSTIC LIPS (39) is going to prove another of them. She's built and bred for longer than a mile and a quarter so did very well to run a close fourth in the Prix de l'Opera. She'd run even faster when taking the German Oaks over a slightly longer trip and looks a good prospect for the big mile and a half races next year.