Devil’s Point takes Djebel test on seasonal bow

Futurity Trophy second makes Deauville return.

David Menuisier’s Devil’s Point will take the first step in his three-year-old campaign in the Prix Djebel at Deauville on Tuesday.

The colt enjoyed a successful juvenile season, winning a Ffos Las maiden and then placing third and fourth respectively in the Solario Stakes and the Prix Thomas Bryon.

He then ended his year at Group One level in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, finishing second to Godolphin’s Ancient Wisdom over a mile.

He will now begin 2024 over a lesser trip of seven furlongs when he contests the Prix Djebel, a Group Three at Deauville where he will face six rivals.

“Devil’s Point seems well, it’s a prep run and the ground will be testing but we know he likes those sorts of conditions,” said Menuisier.

Devil's Point goes to post at Sandown
Devil’s Point goes to post at Sandown (Adam Davy/PA)

“It’s the first run of the season, he is at 80 per cent but let’s hope it is enough to win tomorrow.

“We will take his races one by one and we feel he might be more efficient over seven furlongs than a mile.

“Depending on how he goes, we can then make a decision on what he does next.”

Jerome Reynier’s unbeaten gelding Lazzat steps up in grade for the contest after striking three times in three runs so far this term.

All of those performances were at Cagnes-Sur-Mer, where he won the Listed Prix de la Californie on heavy ground in February.

“He is unbeaten in three starts, he won his maiden, a class one and a Listed race – all at Cagnes-Sur-Mer in testing ground,” said Reynier.

“Tomorrow will be pretty deep and sticky, he’s running around a straight course for the first time.

“The colt trained by David Menuisier (Devil’s Point) seems to be a good benchmark to compare Lazzat, so we will see how he runs in this one.

“I am very happy with Lazzat, he looks good, has been training very well and I’m very enthusiastic about him.

“It’s going to be a good test tomorrow, it’s very exciting to run an unbeaten three-year-old so fingers crossed.”

On the same card there is another Group Three in the Prix Imprudence, a fillies’ race run over seven furlongs for which a field of seven has assembled.

Christopher Head’s highly promising Ramatuelle makes her seasonal debut in the race after a juvenile term than included successes in the Prix du Bois and the Prix Robert Papin and a second-placed run at Group One level behind the impressive Vandeek in the Prix Morny.

Charlie Appleby’s Romantic Style also kicks off her campaign in the race after wrapping up last year with a Listed victory in the six-furlong Bosra Sham at Newmarket, where she beat Cammidge Trophy fourth and subsequent Bath winner Adaay In Devon.

“We have been very pleased with how Romantic Style has done through the winter,” Appleby said via the Godolphin website.

“She won the Bosra Sham Stakes on testing ground, so similar conditions shouldn’t be an issue, but the step up to seven furlongs is the slight question mark.”

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