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Tribalist can win Pools race

The first major summer racing weekend at Deauville, France will have a hint of Singapore on July 6. While the €400,000 (S$600,000) Group 1 Prix Jean Prat (1,400m) is the 3YO highlight, the €73,200 Group 3 Singapore Pools Prix de Ris-Orangis (at 8.33pm Singapore time), honouring the local gaming company for the first time, is no less competitive. The naming of an overseas race after Pools is now well entrenched with various racing jurisdictions around the world. After South Korea, South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, the latest country to follow suit is France, even though French racing has been broadcast in Singapore since 2008. The annexing of Singapore Pools to the Prix de Ris-Orangis was made possible by Pools' French counterpart Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) and France Galop to cement the longstanding partnership. Aptly, the owner with the most wins in the 1,200m contest, Godolphin, with five, is well placed to extend its tally this year. In a renewal featuring some of the turf's most popular and enduring sprinters, the Blue Army's battle-hardened Tribalist figures among the leading hopes. The three-time Group 2 Prix du Muguet (1,600m) winner and Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1,600m) hero will, however, meet Group 3 winner Beauvatier, the evergreen Batwan and consistent National Service. The Singapore Pools Prix de Ris-Orangis race analysis by The Hong Kong Jockey Club is as follows: 1 Tribalist More familiar over further but this 10-time winner showed speed in a Group 2 over 1,600m at Saint-Cloud in May. 2 Beauvatier Well below his best on his 2025 return but fourth in an Ascot Group 1 sprint last October was laudable. 3 National Service A veteran who gained his eighth career win in a 1,200m Chantilly handicap in June. Difficult here. 4 Lanzelot Gold Keeps running well but up in grade and down in trip. 5 Ten Horns Has a commendable win and place strike rate but so far has proved vulnerable at Stakes level. 6 Batwan A feature of top French sprint races and not beaten far in fourth in this last year. But a win would shock. 7 Spycatcher Easily won this in 2023 and though few performances since have echoed that terrific display, he does like this course and distance. 8 Toyotomi Rarely far from the money, and only beaten by a subsequent Group 1 winner at Chantilly in May. manyan@