Desmond Stoneham
AIDAN O’Brien will have a great chance of landing his first Prix de Diane Longines, and a sixth classic this year, with Rhododendron.
She will face 15 others at Chantilly on Sunday afternoon when over 30,000 enthusiasts are expected to turn up and bask in the sun at one of the world’s most picturesque tracks, even though the second round of the French general election is taking place.
Clerk of the course Mathieu Vincent is forecasting good ground and the Diane could well be dominated by the visitors as John Gosden has sent Shutter Speed over from Newmarket.
Another talking point will be the jockey Maryline Eon, the first female jockey to ride in the classic. She will be on board the rank outsider Yellow Storm. The 22-year-old turned professional last August.
Rhododendron is sure to start the warm favourite to give Ryan Moore his first success in the Diane. She was runner-up to stablemate Winter in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and her stamina appeared to run out in the latter stages of the Oaks when she was beaten by five lengths by Enable.
This 10 and a half-furlong distance should exactly fit the bill and Moore will need to use his guile as she will start from the number 11 stall.
Shutter Speed will be fancied to give Gosden his second Diane victory in three years, and Frankie Dettori his third, but it will not be straightforward as the filly has been drawn number 14 of the 16 runners.
Yet to taste defeat in three outings, Shutter Speed (by Dansili) has had a nice break since winning the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York in mid-May.
Terrakova must be the best bred filly in the Diane as she is by Galileo out of the legendary Goldikova.
Freddy Head has given the unbeaten filly just one outing this year and she obliged in the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud where she did not have a perfect run in the straight. Jean-Claude Rouget has won four of the last eight runnings of this classic and he will saddle Onthemoonagain, the mount of Christophe Soumillon.
She was not stretched to win a listed race over this distance at Toulouse but has something to find in the form book.
Pascal Bary won the Diane for the Niarchos family in 2005, with Divine Proportions. The same team will be hoping that Senga can repeat the feat. She took the Prix de la Grotte at this track last time out and the daughter of Blame disappointed a little when only third in the Prix de Sandringham. This longer trip will be to her advantage.
Bary also saddles Monroe Bay. Partly owned and bred by Lady Chryss O’Reilly, this Makfi filly picked up a listed race here last time out.
Respect needs to be shown to the Andre Fabre-trained Kitesurf. A Godolphin-owned daughter of Dubawi, she is sure to stay the trip having won the mile and a half Prix de Royaumont here earlier in the month.
Sistercharlie is on a hat-trick and has a turn of foot, as showed when she lifted the Group 3 Prix Penelope for provincial trainer Alex Pantall.
Three lengths behind Sobetsu when runner-up in The Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary, the maiden Vue Fantastique could run into a place.
CHANTILLY SATURDAY
Prix Paul de Moussac Longines
Selection: TRAIS FLUORS
Next best: Stunning Spirit
La Coupe Longines
Selection: ROBIN OF NAVAN
Next best: That Which Is Not
CHANTILLY SUNDAY
Prix Hocquart Longines
Selection: MASK OF TIME
Next best: Galipad
Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines
Selection: ZELZAL
Next best: Taareef
Prix de Diane Longines
Selection: RHODODENDRON
Next best: Shutter Speed