Suesa and Glass Slippers to Clash in Prix de l'Abbaye

Favorite backers look away now. Aside from Battaash 's 2017 romp as 9-4 market leader, you have to go back to 2008 (Marchand d'Or ) for the last winning jolly in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (G1). Couple that with a regular low-draw bias, and market leader Suesa  faces a stiff task on trends.

It is fair to say that based on what we have seen so far this season Suesa is the most likely winner of the Oct. 3 test for trainer Francois Rohaut, who seeks a first victory in this prestigious sprint. The return to France after a spin on the Knavesmire, a track which clearly didn't suit her, should be the catalyst to an improved effort.

While she lacks the early speed of her Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe (G1) conqueror and reopposing rival Winter Power , the heavy ground should see Suesa in striking distance to deliver a power-packed finish.

Sprinters drawn in the lowest five stalls have dominated the Abbaye at ParisLongchamp in the last decade—Mabs Cross ' 2018 victory from gate 13 is the anomaly—and Suesa's rider Olivier Peslier will have his work cut out from stall 12 to get near the favored stands' side rail.

The same can be said for most of the major form players, though, with Glass Slippers  (stall 9), Winter Power (8), Berneuil  (14), and Romantic Proposal  (13) all drawn higher than ideal.

However, Glass Slippers and Winter Power have the gate speed and acceleration to navigate their way across from middle berths. The former will look to make amends for a narrow defeat in this race 12 months ago, and shaped extremely well when she did best of the prominent racers in the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five (G1) last time out.

Berneuil ran out an impressive winner of the Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert (G3) over this course and distance last month, but Christophe Soumillon's mount was drawn far better that day and readily saw off the reopposing Wild Majesty , Mo Celita , Air de Valse , and Lady In France .

'Forget York' for Suesa

What a strange year. France appears to have little hope in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), which it wins frequently, yet it has the favorite for the Prix de l'Abbaye, which it rarely wins.

There have been only five home-trained winners in the last quarter of a century, yet Wooded  won it for Francis Graffard last year and the Francois Rohaut-trained Suesa tops the betting 12 months on.

The market is no surprise to anyone who saw Suesa bolt up in the King George Qatar Stakes (G2) at Goodwood, showing blistering speed and scoring by an emphatic three lengths.

She was a beaten favorite in the Nunthorpe at York on her next start, but Rohaut believes breaking from stall 14 of 14 was an issue that day, and said: "We'll just forget that race as she had a bad draw. She looks great and everything's perfect. She's as well as she was before Goodwood."

Yorkshire Pair Bidding for History

Glass Slippers will make history if she can land a second Prix de l'Abbaye as no horse has won this race, lost it, and then returned to reclaim the crown.

She took this impressively in 2019 and, though narrowly beaten 12 months ago, a mare who always comes to herself at this time of year shaped as though her turn may be near once again when a close third in the Flying Five last month.

Trainer Kevin Ryan's son and assistant Adam said: "She traveled well in Ireland but the pace collapsed and she was left out on her own.

"She's been there and done it. She goes there in good health, and we couldn't be happier with her."

Nunthorpe winner Winter Power bids to emulate Lochsong, who was the last to win that race and the Abbaye in the same season, 28 years ago.

She was 10th in the Flying Five at the Curragh next time, and trainer Tim Easterby said: "I don't know what happened in Ireland, but she's in great form. The ground doesn't worry me as she won on soft at Newmarket."

The Prix de l'Abbaye will award the winner a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Glass Slippers won the Turf Sprint last year when the World Championships were held at Keeneland.