British-trained horses have generally struggled in French Group 1 contests in 2023 but they look to have live prospects in Sunday’s (6 August) Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) at Deauville.

Six of the past ten winners of this race came from the UK and though without a standout challenger in a wide-open contest, nine UK raiders are expected along with Ireland’s Little Big Bear who was supplemented on Thursday (3 August).

Art Power dropped to 1000m when a swaggering performance saw him dispatch seven rivals in the G2 Sapphire Stakes (1000m) at The Curragh, whilst Spycatcher was similarly authoritative when drawing clear in Deauville’s G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis (1200m).

Both those July victories were on soft ground which are conditions more likely than not for Sunday at Normandy’s famous seaside track. Jockey Clifford Lee said of Spycatcher: “He travelled beautifully on that ground at Deauville, before quickening away. That takes a lot of doing but he is a really tough horse.”

Garrus and Rohaan were 19-1 and 22-1 outsiders in last year’s Prix Maurice de Gheest but both closed fast late, finishing only around one length behind winner Highfield Princess. This pair can boast eight and nine career wins respectively and also have respectable slow ground form. Both are again likely to be accelerating into contention late.

Like Garrus, Khaadem is trained by Charlie Hills. His power-packed late surge, as an 80-1 outsider in June’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m), was one of the most striking Royal Ascot performances this year. However, only one of his eight career wins has been on ground slower than good so supporters must be hoping for drying conditions.

The other G1 winner in the field is the Aidan O’Brien-trained Little Big Bear, whose runaway seven length victory this time last year in the G1 Phoenix Stakes (1200m) at The Curragh sparked huge expectations for 2023. Although this son of No Nay Never won the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes (1200m) at Haydock in May, it is fair to say those early expectations have so far not been upheld. The fact he has been supplemented by O’Brien is likely, however, to foster some optimism.

Andre Fabre, another great European trainer, runs Godolphin’s Egot who has failed to excite on his last two starts. Nonetheless, he is a seven-time winner who runs over this unusual 1300m trip for the first time.

An upwardly mobile French trainer without anything like the huge profile of Fabre, but who also will try to keep this Deauville G1 prize at home, is Nicolas Caullery. His two contenders – Fort Royal and King Gold – are not only stabled in next door boxes but gave the trainer his first two Group wins.

Caullery told Jour de Galop: “The track dries well at Deauville but rain and a soft track would not be an advantage for Fort Payne.” Of King Gold, a winner of three of his last four starts who outpaced Garrus in the closing stages of last month’s G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot (1400m) at Longchamp, the trainer appears optimistic. Caullery said: “King Of Gold is still thriving after his Porte Maillot victory and is not feeling the fights he has had this season. Quite the contrary in fact.”