Prix Corrida - Aventure

Prix Corrida

Saint-Cloud 19th May - “Bon Souple 3,3”

4YO+ G2 - 2,100m - €74,100

2:12.68 - Finishing Speed 107.5%

A relatively simple assignment for last year’s Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Aventure. She was clear on the ratings and has duly delivered in a race that has been won by Arc winning Fillies Treve and Solemia, though I will add that Treve won the race in 2015 after her Arc wins before anyone corrects me. A winning time of 2:12.68 was 2.72s faster than the Quinte handicap over the same course and distance, although that time difference is easily equated to the significant difference in class. Only Bateel (2018) has produced a faster winning time in the last decade, though the dry weather is affecting most of the winning time figures produced in Paris currently.

Settled perfectly, she sat behind the pace before being brought to the outside by Maxime Guyon to make her challenge. For a brief moment, she had to be shaken up to close around the turn, but once on terms, she has quickened readily under a hands ride. Finishing her race in furlongs of 11.12 and 11.83s, she was the fastest horse over the final the final 600m in the home straight and there is no obvious reason to think that this form would be reversed in the future. She showed more speed at Paris Longchamp in April, finishing in 33.77s from the 3-furlong pole at a top speed of 66.4 km/h, but she didn’t need to stretch here and has upheld the form of the Prix Allez France. All roads clearly lead to the Arc, though the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud must now be tempting after this romp. A 3rd win in a row in the Prix Corrida for Maxime Guyon.

Survie (2nd) was making her first start since finishing 7th in the Arc in October. She hasn’t reversed the form, but she has got closer to Aventure and this wasn’t far behind her 3-year-old form. She was the runner-up in the Prix de Diane and ought to be capable of running well in Group 1 company again this year, although she seems perhaps a few pounds short of the level required to win at that level. Having got on terms with the leader, she briefly led before being outpaced by Aventure in the closing stages, with a top speed of 63.7 km/h at that point. Softer ground may help her, but even allowing for her rivals race fitness, she seems unlikely to find the 2-lengths needed, especially at this trip.

Grand Stars (3rd) had shaped like an unlucky loser in the Prix Allez France and was actually faster than Aventure over the final 3-furlongs, closing in 33.71s. However, despite chasing the winner through around the turn, she has flashed her tail whenever the stick was used by Aurelien Lemaitre and although keeping on, she lacked the tactical speed of the winner. She has shown more than enough to think that she has the ability to win a G2, but perhaps the issues are mental rather than physical with her. A cute ride, possibly if Soumillon could be persuaded to get on board, may be the difference, especially if she gets softer ground to help her cause.

Erle (4th) won the Group 1 German Oaks last Summer and having made the running here on her comeback, she has run a fair race. She was no match for Rebel’s Romance on her last start in 2024 and her form from the German Oaks, where she beat Karl Burke’s Darnation, would leave her 7-10 lbs behind Aventure. She ran well to lead this field into the straight, but whilst it is hard to say how fit she was for this first run of the year, the balance of her form suggests that 10-furlongs could be the peak of her stamina. There are more races to be won with her, especially in Germany, but I’d be keen to see what she could do if dropped in trip, rather than stretched out over further.

Waldora (5th) is a nice filly, but a mark of 44.5-kilos looks right at this stage and she was outclassed when it mattered. Her best form has come in the South and she may need to race outside of Paris to get another pattern win. Diya was beaten with 2-furlongs to run and heavily eased.