THE Prix de Conde at Chantilly this afternoon is a trial for the Criterium de Saint-Cloud which is the last Group 1 event in the French programme. Charlie Appleby is back again and his runner Stage Magic must have a leading chance although he will be conceding weight to the other five runners.

To be ridden by James Doyle, Stage Magic will be performing for the third time in France. On his last visit to Chantilly, the son of Dark Angel just held on to take the Group 3 Prix des Chenes from Olmedo, who was runner-up to Happily in last Sunday’s Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

There are some promising French juveniles in the nine-furlong contest and notably the mainly Coolmore-owned King Of Camelot. He is trained by Andre Fabre and was well behind Olmedo in a newcomers’ race at Deauville before opening his account at Lyon Parilly.

The Aga Khan’s Parabak (Maxios) has only been raced in the provinces where he pulverised 10 others over the Conde distance at Evreux. The only filly in the Group 3 contest is Luminate. Trained by Freddy Head for Highclere Thoroughbreds, she won her only race at Deauville.

Another who opened his account first time out is Kingstar and he took a mile event at Chantilly. Korevsky lost his status as a maiden when cantering up over the trip at Salon-de-Province in the South of France last month.

Selection: STAGE MAGIC

Next best: King Of Camelot

French racing is currently rather attractive for English trainers with the Euro so strong and they will also have runners in the two listed events during the afternoon at Chantilly.

Appleby and Doyle team up again in the Prix Le Fabuleux where D’bai will have a leading chance. Roger Varian runs Cape Byron, with Andrea Atzeni in the saddle, and the visitors appear to have most to fear from Glen Shiel.

Doyle is also on May Girl for Robert Cowell in the Criterium de Vitesse, which will also be contested by David O’Meara’s Consequences, Joseph Tuite’s Looks A Million, Mark Johnson’s Rebel Assault, and Shaya who is trained by Roger Fell.

The five-furlong dash is attractive as the winning purse is €30,000.