The smart Samangan is tipped to solve the riddle of the wide-open G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) at Deauville on Sunday (9 August).

Being neither the minimum 1000m nor 1200m, the distance of the second of five Group 1s over the month-long racing festival may be a bit of an oddity among Europe’s top-class speed trials.

And perhaps because of that, a clutch of big names like last year’s champion sprinter Asfoora and Royal Ascot scorer Mission Central are bypassing Deauville, opting instead for York’s speed jewel later this month, the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m).

Mission Central’s trainer Aidan O’Brien could still find himself in the winner’s enclosure with True Love in an intriguing 12-runner inter-generational renewal.

O’Brien is counting on his plan to drop the G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) heroine back in distance to pay off.

She coped well enough with her first experience of the track over 1400m last month when she finished runner-up off a slow pace.

Discussing her route to the Prix Maurice de Gheest, O’Brien said: “She really pleased us discovering Deauville’s straight track in the Prix Jean Prat last time. That’s the reason we’ve decided to come back. Whatever happens, True Love is really very well and we are travelling over with ambition.”

Specialist speedsters abound, hoping to give the Irish filly a proper test, such as English raider Division turning up after two decent runs in defeat.

Godolphin send over Wise Approach, who is aiming to rediscover some of the stardust he had as a two-year-old when landing the G1 Middle Park Stakes (1200m) in September 2025.

Rosy Affair, stablemate of the brilliant three-year-old Bow Echo, is consistent, but more of a threat to French hopes is Take Charge Star.

Former top Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh, now a trainer, rates him extremely highly and a form line through last month’s G1 Prix Jean Prat (1400m) conqueror of True Love gives him a big shout.

Local punters may rightly be seduced by the claims of Mise En Boite, a Group 3 winner over 1200m at Deauville, but Samangan is also set to play a major role after overcoming a difficult start to finish fourth, beaten only one length in the Jean Prat.

He was considered good enough to be a possible runner in the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m).

If Samangan emerges on top, he would be delivering a second Group 1 in two weeks for his sire Blue Point after Blue Bolt’s triumph in the G1 Prix Rothschild (1600m).

Also lying in wait for the visitors are Stolen Kiss, who ran well in defeat at Ascot in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) after rattling off a three-timer to start the year with a bang, and Afandy, who won a traditional trial for the 2000 Guineas in Europe back in April at the Normandy racecourse.

The G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) is carded as S3-4 and will be run at 10.40pm (Hong Kong time) on Sunday, 9 August.

Image: Scoop Dyga