Hungarians ready to win ugly in France

English stables have won the last six runnings of the Prix de l'Abbaye but that sequence is in danger of ending on Sunday with three of the leading candidates coming from France, South Africa and... Hungary.

Freddie Head's July Cup winner Marchand D'Or heads the market with Mike de Kock's grey National Colour third best, but there is real hope that Hungary could bag European racing's biggest sprint prize with Overdose, an "ugly" horse who was bought by mistake.

Owner Zoltan Mikoczy was at the Newmarket sales in 2006 when Overdose walked into the ring.

He said: "I just put my hand up for fun, I like the excitement of auctions."

Overdose was up for just £2,100 and Mikoczy stumped up the cash despite the advice of trainer Sandor Ribarszki.

But the money proved well spent as Overdose is undefeated in two years and 10 races, earning 40 times his purchase price.

Ribarszki said: "I tried to talk Zoltan out of it. He's short and ugly, nobody wanted him."

Overdose earned his place in the Abbaye after victory at Baden-Baden in August and is around 9-2 to land the five-furlong Group 1 race at Longchamp.

Ribarszki added: "You can't win 10 straight races with luck. Overdose runs every race like it is the Olympic final."