Prix de Diane Preview: Aga Khan to hold sway again
By John Ingles -- published 13th June 2014
John Ingles takes you through the contenders for the French classic on Sunday.
"Remarkably, the last six winners of the Prix de Diane were all maintaining unbeaten records when winning at Chantilly."
The Grey Gatsbyâs win in the Prix du Jockey Club a fortnight ago exposed some weakness among the current French three-year-old colts. The classic crop of French fillies are a different matter, though, as several have made a particularly good impression over the last couple of months which makes Sundayâs âFrench Oaksâ, the Prix de Diane at Chantilly, a race to look forward to.
Miss France underlined the strength of the French fillies when beating her English counterparts in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, albeit in rather a substandard renewal and one which was run at just a modest pace. It could be argued, however, that Miss France did well to win at Newmarket given that sheâs no miler on breeding; her dam Miss Tahiti, likewise trained by Andre Fabre, was actually second in the Prix de Diane. Fabre also gave the strong impression that the Guineas had been something of a bonus along the way when remarking straight afterwards that âthe Prix de Diane has always been the goalâ.
Miss France is not the only Guineas winner in the line-up as she meets Avenir Certain, the winner of the French equivalent. Avenir Certain kept her unbeaten record in the Poule dâEssai des Pouliches when stepping up from minor company to win in good style at Longchamp. She too will be going beyond a mile for the first time, and while sheâs by Le Havre, winner of the Prix du Jockey Club, she didnât shape as though in need of a longer trip at Longchamp, sealing her classic victory when quickening smartly into the lead over a furlong out but not extending her advantage in the closing stages.
That still looks the best form on offer, however, and it means Xcellence and Bawina have around four lengths to make up to turn the tables on Avenir Certain after finishing third and fourth respectively behind her at Longchamp. They too tackle a new trip but both are bred to stay. Xcellence, who had Miss France behind her when winning the Prix Imprudence in the spring, should have no problems at all on that score as sheâs out of a half-sister to her connectionsâ top-class staying hurdler Kasbah Bliss, while Bawinaâs dam is a close relative to a former Prix de Diane winner Egyptband. Bawina shaped as though the step up in trip will suit after a troubled run in the Pouliches in which she had to race wide throughout and then met interference instigated by the winner (connections failed with their appeal to have the result amended) before finishing well.
Remarkably, the last six winners of the Prix de Diane were all maintaining unbeaten records when winning at Chantilly. Avenir Certain bids to emulate Zarkava and Golden Lilac from that sextet who had won the Pouliches beforehand, while her trainer Jean-Claude Rouget has been responsible for another couple among that half-dozen, Stacelita and Valyra. Another leading contender with an unbeaten record going into Sundayâs race is Shamkala who is bidding to become the eighth winner of the race for the Aga Khan. Unlike the other leading contenders already mentioned, Shamkala is proven over Sundayâs trip but weighing up exactly how good she is a much harder task as she has won all three of her races very easily, if not by wide margins. The last of those was the Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud in which she looked a class above her rivals (two of whom, runner-up Amour A Papa and fourth-placed Bocaiuva take her on again), making her a rarity among pattern winners in still having a âlarge Pâ attached to her rating, denoting that we consider her to be capable of much better form. Sunday should be her chance to prove it and give her trainer Alain de Royer Dupre another win in the race after saddling six of the Aga Khanâs successful fillies.
Recommendation:
Back Shamkala in the Prix de Diane
Timeform weight-adjusted ratings:
133p Avenir Certain
127+ Miss France
123P Shamkala
123p Bawina
123 Xcellence
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By John Ingles -- published 13th June 2014
John Ingles takes you through the contenders for the French classic on Sunday.
"Remarkably, the last six winners of the Prix de Diane were all maintaining unbeaten records when winning at Chantilly."
The Grey Gatsbyâs win in the Prix du Jockey Club a fortnight ago exposed some weakness among the current French three-year-old colts. The classic crop of French fillies are a different matter, though, as several have made a particularly good impression over the last couple of months which makes Sundayâs âFrench Oaksâ, the Prix de Diane at Chantilly, a race to look forward to.
Miss France underlined the strength of the French fillies when beating her English counterparts in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, albeit in rather a substandard renewal and one which was run at just a modest pace. It could be argued, however, that Miss France did well to win at Newmarket given that sheâs no miler on breeding; her dam Miss Tahiti, likewise trained by Andre Fabre, was actually second in the Prix de Diane. Fabre also gave the strong impression that the Guineas had been something of a bonus along the way when remarking straight afterwards that âthe Prix de Diane has always been the goalâ.
Miss France is not the only Guineas winner in the line-up as she meets Avenir Certain, the winner of the French equivalent. Avenir Certain kept her unbeaten record in the Poule dâEssai des Pouliches when stepping up from minor company to win in good style at Longchamp. She too will be going beyond a mile for the first time, and while sheâs by Le Havre, winner of the Prix du Jockey Club, she didnât shape as though in need of a longer trip at Longchamp, sealing her classic victory when quickening smartly into the lead over a furlong out but not extending her advantage in the closing stages.
That still looks the best form on offer, however, and it means Xcellence and Bawina have around four lengths to make up to turn the tables on Avenir Certain after finishing third and fourth respectively behind her at Longchamp. They too tackle a new trip but both are bred to stay. Xcellence, who had Miss France behind her when winning the Prix Imprudence in the spring, should have no problems at all on that score as sheâs out of a half-sister to her connectionsâ top-class staying hurdler Kasbah Bliss, while Bawinaâs dam is a close relative to a former Prix de Diane winner Egyptband. Bawina shaped as though the step up in trip will suit after a troubled run in the Pouliches in which she had to race wide throughout and then met interference instigated by the winner (connections failed with their appeal to have the result amended) before finishing well.
Remarkably, the last six winners of the Prix de Diane were all maintaining unbeaten records when winning at Chantilly. Avenir Certain bids to emulate Zarkava and Golden Lilac from that sextet who had won the Pouliches beforehand, while her trainer Jean-Claude Rouget has been responsible for another couple among that half-dozen, Stacelita and Valyra. Another leading contender with an unbeaten record going into Sundayâs race is Shamkala who is bidding to become the eighth winner of the race for the Aga Khan. Unlike the other leading contenders already mentioned, Shamkala is proven over Sundayâs trip but weighing up exactly how good she is a much harder task as she has won all three of her races very easily, if not by wide margins. The last of those was the Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud in which she looked a class above her rivals (two of whom, runner-up Amour A Papa and fourth-placed Bocaiuva take her on again), making her a rarity among pattern winners in still having a âlarge Pâ attached to her rating, denoting that we consider her to be capable of much better form. Sunday should be her chance to prove it and give her trainer Alain de Royer Dupre another win in the race after saddling six of the Aga Khanâs successful fillies.
Recommendation:
Back Shamkala in the Prix de Diane
Timeform weight-adjusted ratings:
133p Avenir Certain
127+ Miss France
123P Shamkala
123p Bawina
123 Xcellence
