Parachutiste is all set to swoop down on Deauville

DEAUVILLE – While Deauville’s top-notch weekend of racing will be highlighted by the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest (1,300m) on Aug 9, the Aug 8 card is packed with quality in its own right.

The Prix de Crevecoeur for two-year-old colts and geldings (Race 4) and the Prix des Marettes for two-year-old fillies (Race 5), both over 1,500m and carrying purses of €45,700 (S$68,000), are two prestigious maiden races that have unveiled numerous future stars over the years.

The programme also includes three Listed races, but the highlight is the opening event, the €73,200 Group 3 Prix de Reux, open to three-year-olds and upwards and run over 2,500m.

Traditionally an important stepping stone towards the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville on Aug 30, which is contested over the same course and distance, this year’s renewal has attracted an exceptionally strong field.

It could well be one of the deepest editions seen in recent years.

Parachutiste is one of the most intriguing runners in the field. His trainer Francis-Henri Graffard is still unsure about the ideal distance for his talented charge.

One thing, however, is certain, the Dubawi colt is a very good horse who is still some way from revealing his full potential.

A head runner-up on his latest start in the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil (2,800m) at ParisLongchamp, the four-year-old gelding, who races in the colours of Qatar Racing, is likely to be one of the horses to watch closely.

A strong performance could put him firmly on the path towards the Grand Prix de Deauville, and perhaps even towards an international campaign later in the season, should he deliver the expected result on Aug 8.

Travel is also familiar territory for Presage Nocturne, who produced a highly creditable fourth in last season’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2,400m) in Australia.

He had previously stopped at Deauville in August 2025, finishing third in the Group 2 Prix Kergolay (3,000m).

The Wootton Bassett grey’s ability to perform on the world stage adds another interesting dimension to his Deauville comeback.

Trained by William Haggas in Newmarket, Tenability arrives with plenty of freshness, having raced only twice in 2026.

The Frankel four-year-old also appears to be progressing nicely, as illustrated by his recent victory in a Listed race over 2,400m at Goodwood on June 7, the Tapster Stakes.

That success suggests there could still be more to come from the British-trained runner.

Also worth noting are two representatives of the Wertheimer brothers, namely the unbeaten Mazzala, who has won all three of his starts for trainer Yann Barberot, and Oracle for trainer Andre Fabre.

Oracle, a four-year-old colt by Too Darn Hot has not returned to the winner’s enclosure since making a successful debut at Saint-Cloud in April 2025.

But he arrives on the back of an excellent second-place finish in the Grand Prix de Chantilly on May 31, where he finished ahead of none other than his better fancied stablemate Cualificar.

With such a strong and competitive line-up, the Prix de Reux promises to be much more than a simple prep-race for the Grand Prix de Deauville.

It could provide a valuable indication of which horses are ready to take the next step at the top level – and potentially make their mark beyond France later. PMU