Despite murmurs and market moves suggesting otherwise, Constitution River was declared for the Prix du Jockey Club on Thursday morning. The son of Wootton Basset produced a remarkable performance in the Dee Stakes on reappearance at Chester.
Despite him being Timeform’s top rated three year old at Ballydoyle, connections have opted against sending him to Epsom. Aidan O’Brien told the Racing Post: “We’ve decided that Constitution River will go to France. We went to Chester with him looking to find out if he stayed a mile and a quarter. He saw it out very well there.
“This is obviously a big step up. But everything has gone very well in the build-up to the race and everybody is very happy with him. We’ve always thought he was a colt who had enough pace for a mile but would hopefully stay a mile and a quarter and he looks to be a very classy horse.”
He will be joined by stablemates Montreal and Hawk Mountain. The latter is unbeaten in four races since his debut fifth. He made a winning reappearance in the Prix du Guiche, and he bids to emulate Vadeni who won that race before the French Derby.
Rather surprisingly, Aidan O’Brien has only won the race twice. St Mark’s Basilica was his first in 2021, with Camille Pissarro following up last season.
Oxagon supplemented for Gosden’s and Prince Faisal
An interesting addition to the contest is Oxagon, who was supplemented for £72,000 on Wednesday morning. The Frankel colt won the Craven Stakes on reappearance, and posted a respectable sixth in the 2000 Guineas. By Frankel from a family that stays beyond a mile, his owner believes this test can suit. Prince Faisal, who won this with Mishriff in 2020, spoke on Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast saying: “They think he needs further than a mile. He won a trial, so he can’t be bad – and I respect the opinion of both the trainer and jockey.
“He didn’t have the speed for the Guineas, they were too fast for him, and he might need further.
“I thought he was good, but the issue was concentration. I think this race will show us what he is. If he’s a good horse, then this is the last mile and a quarter race for three-year-olds in a while.”
The raiding challengers are finished by Hankelow and A Boy Named Susie. The former was third to Rayif at Longchamp in the French 2000 Guineas. The latter also has French form, finishing second in last season’s Criterium.