Diligent Harry aims to continue his excellent start to 2023 in the Prix Anabaa (3.42pm GMT) at Chantilly on Saturday, March 4, the final Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 All-Weather Sprint Championships on Finals Day.
The five-year-old has looked back on song since returning from a gelding operation, going down by a neck to Annaf in the Listed BetUK Kachy Stakes in early February before defying a rating of 106 to win a competitive handicap at Newcastle 10 days later.
Diligent Harry captured the All-Weather Three-Year-Old Championships on Finals Day in 2021 and made the frame in two G3 contests subsequently, including a neck defeat in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
Trainer Clive Cox said: “Diligent Harry has come back from his winning run at Newcastle very well and, just with time frames in mind, it made sense to come here for his third qualifying run before hopefully heading on to Newcastle.
“He has always been a good horse. We have campaigned him highly since his win on All-Weather Finals Day as a three-year-old and always felt he justified that sort of approach.
“I am pleased that the gelding and a break has given him the chance to show that and, now that he is back to winning ways, I am looking forward to the spring and summer ahead.”
The opposition includes Christophe Ferland’s Loubeisien, who was runner-up at G3 level on three occasions last year, including going down by a neck to Finals Day scorer Bouttemont at Deauville in August.
Andreas Schutz’s Go Athletico took the notable scalp of Sealiway in a G3 event at Longchamp in September 2020 and was runner-up to Fast Raaj in the Prix Anabaa 12 months ago.
Deep Hope is the unexposed contender in the field, having won his last four starts on the all-weather for Gianluca Bietolini, while the consistent Le Cadeau was a comfortable winner over this distance last time out for Henri-Alex Pantall.
Jeromy Reynier’s National Service defeated Fast-Track Qualifier winner Yoozuna at Cagnes-sur-Mer in January before chasing home Hooking in the Listed Prix Saonois at the same track last time out.
Andrew Hollinshead saddles Eagleway, who won a conditions race at Chantilly on his debut for the stable in December, while multiple winner Simply Striking makes his first appearance since November for Mauricio Delcher Sanchez.
J J Jumbo, Nom De Plume and Fecamp complete the 11 runners.