Hopes high for Clonard Street in today’s Grade One showpiece in Paris

A total of 21

JP McManus owned horses will keep the normal National Hunt fires burning at home this weekend but the legendary owner aims to break new Group One ground on the flat in Paris this afternoon with Clonard Street.

Like Clonard Street’s trainer, Tony Martin, McManus has never tasted top-flight success on the flat before but the famously shrewd combination look to have a real chance of changing that in today’s €250,000 Criterium De Saint-Cloud.

Just half a dozen line up for the ten furlong event, Europe’s final Group One of the year, but it is an international field comprising Richard Hannon’s Zetland Stakes winner Crafty Choice, the German runner Palang, and a trio of home hopes led by the unbeaten Epicurius who beat his two compatriots in Longchamp Group Three action last month.

His debut

McManus bought Clonard Street after John McConnell trained the Archipenko colt to win on his debut at Galway and his sole run since was an encouraging second to next year’s Derby second-favourite Ol’ Man River in September’s Beresford Stakes.

Martin is renowned for his planning ability and explained: “I try and run them where I think they’re capable of running – whether it’s a point to point, or a selling hurdle or whatever. I think this horse is entitled to be there. He deserves to take his chance. He ran a good race in the Curragh and we’re hoping he’ll go on the ground.”

The ground at Saint-Cloud is currently heavy but Clonard Street won his maiden on ‘yielding to soft’ and his Beresford run gives him a leading chance in race won four times in the past by Aidan O’Brien, including with Fame And Glory in 2008.

Fran Berry, a Group One winner on Pathfork in the 2010 National Stakes, takes the mount in a race which is due off at 1.30 today.

Jumping focus

A dozen McManus owned runners will be in action at Naas today but the team’s principal jumping focus this weekend will be on Navan tomorrow where the Boylesports Hurdle winner Gilgamboa begins his chasing career and Princely Conn goes in the Grade Three For Auction Novice Hurdle.

Tom Mullins has always had a high opinion of Princely Conn who comfortably won his maiden hurdle at Punchestown but now has to step up against a quartet of more experienced rivals. Mark Walsh's mount looks up to taking that step.

Walsh still tops the jockeys table with 44 winners this season and McManus’s retained rider in Ireland is reunited with Gilgamboa who faces no easy task in a Beginners Chase which also includes Blood Cotil.

Willie Mullins’s runner looked like winning easily on his chasing debut last January only to fall two out at Cork.

Rich Ricci’s colours will be carried by the stalwart Zaidpour in the Grade Two Ladbrokes Lismullen Hurdle.

On figures he doesn't have much in hand of Pittoni but the latter is returning after almost a thousand-day layoff while Zaidpour won first time out for the three seasons prior to last year's Hattons Grace when it took Jezki to get the better of him.

Fortria Chase

In contrast

Irish Thistle

has plenty to do on ratings in the Grade Two Fortria Chase but in his favour is that Navan brings out the best in him.

All three of his career wins have come there, he ran well on his reappearance there too on the flat behind Silver Concorde, and ground conditions may have turned softer than ideal for some of his opposition.

Uradel was well backed on his first start for Willie Mullins in York's Melrose Handicap last August and the former Chantilly winner should be tough to beat in the three year old hurdle.