The 2018 Prix de l’Abbaye betting tips given by Horsebetting.com experts say the tough and consistent Mabs Cross is the value to land the spoils in the Group 1 contest run over 5f at Longchamp on Sunday, 7 October. Battaash, who is favourite to retain his crown, holds major claims of doing so – if behaving and consenting to put his best foot forward. City Light, meanwhile, is a course and distance winner who looks a solid each-way option. For full details read our in-depth 2018 Prix de l’Abbaye betting tips preview.Mabs Cross cracking value in Prix de l’AbbayeMabs Cross has been a model of consistency this season, so looks terrific value to gain a deserved big race succes in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye ron over the flying 5f at Longchamp on Sunday (16:25). This Michael Dods trained four-year-old filly has won five of her 12 starts and doesn’t know how to run a bad race.
In the last of those successes at Newmarket back in May, the daughter of Dutch Art showed a willing attitude to dig deep and beat Judicial by a neck in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes. Mabs Cross backed that up with a fine effort when staying on from off the pace to finish a three-quarters of a length fourth to the re-opposing Battaash in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock.
Mabs Cross was then beaten only two lengths when a running on third to Blue Point in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot – finishing just a neck behind the runner-up Battaash. Although then not at her best when third of seven in a Group 2 at The Curragh, that was a muddlingly run race which didn’t play to her strengths.
She is far better suited by this bigger field and a stoing pace to aim at, as was proved the case last time out when a cracking and desperately unlucky second of 15 to Alpha Delphini in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Mabs Cross looked sure to win when produced to take up the running inside the last, but the winner rallied and she went down by the width of a cigarette paper.
It was heartbreaking for connections, but still a superb effort and she had Battaash – who led a furlong and a half from home and had every chance – 2 3/4 lengths behind in fourth. So, given the price of Mabs Cross in relation to Battaash, who is the red-hot favourite for this, she had to feature as the main punt in our 2018 Prix de l’Abbaye betting tips to come out on top and round off the campaign in style.Battaash all the rage to retain crownThe aforementioned Battaash is the red-hot favourite to retain his crown. This Charlie Hills trained gelding put in an awesome display 12 months ago when the race was run at Chantilly, making all and easily beating Marsha by four lengths. Judged on that, he is a worthy market leader.
He also comes into the race having won two of his four starts this season. In the last of those, the son of Dark Angel put in scintillating performance to land the Group 2 King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in runaway style.Battaash showed electric early pace to take up the running travelling strongly at the halfway stage before going effortlessly clear in the hands of Jim Crowley to slam Take Cover by four lengths in almost track record time.
It was an awesome display visually for all that the opposition didn’t real amount to much. The four-year-old was entitled to beat the veteran in the manner that he did and was sent off odds-on to follow up in the Nunthorpe. However, Battaash could finish only a disappointing fourth after holding every chance and ran very flat.
This wasn’t the first time that he has failed to live up to expectations, and he is a highly strung sort who can boil over in the preliminaries. Battaash has also proved troublesome when going into the stalls. It’s fair to say that he’s become something of an enigma.
When he is good, he is very, very good – when he’s bad he’s horrid. So, his chances of landing back-to-back successes in this depend on which Battaash decides to turn up. As a result you couldn’t really back him with confidence at the cramped odds on offer. For that reason alone, we are keen to take him on.City Light holds solid each-way claimsThe best of the home team looks to be the Stephane Wattel trained City Light. This four-year-old is a course and distance winner who has won three of his starts this season and also posted some solid efforts in defeat.
They include when an unlucky in-running short-head second of 12 to Merchant Navy in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he had subsequent Haydock Sprint Cup winner The Tin Man a length back in fourth. That gives the form a solid look, and City Light comes into the context on the back of an eye-catching effort when a fast finishing 1 1/2 lengths second of 13 to Tantheem in a Group 3 over course and distance.
The son of Siyouni was sent off the heavily-backed 6/4 favourite, but nothing went to plan. After blowing the start, City Light quickly found himself playing catch-up with a mountain to climb. He then endured traffic problems when trying to make a move before flying home when eventually seeing daylight to snatch second close home.
City Light looked a very unlucky loser, but is clearly right at the top of his game at present. His proven course form is a big plus; so, if breaking on level terms, a huge run looks assured. We therefore had to make him our each-way punt in these Prix de l’Abbaye betting tips.Your Next Bet
