Deauville Sunday

3.25 Prix Rothschild (Group 1) (3yo+ Fillies) 1m

Despite a strong overseas raiding quartet, the French can continue their fine recent run in top domestic events thanks to Sauterne and Kelina in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville tomorrow.

This pair have met twice before, when finishing third and fourth behind the brilliant Blue Rose Cen in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Kelina then taking her revenge when landing the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham by two lengths from Sauterne at Chantilly early last month.

That was on a fast surface, which is probably the key to Kelina and, although mainly dry weather is forecast for the weekend, the going at Deauville is currently soft.

So perhaps the front-running Sauterne, a daughter of Kingman who has subsequently finished second when there was plenty of give underfoot in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat, can give her Marseille-based handler Patrice Cottier a first top level success.

The solitary Irish member of a nine-strong line-up is Jessica Harrington’s Sounds Of Heaven, another Kingman filly who has raced exclusively abroad this term, winning a York listed event and then finishing third, on unsuitably quick ground, in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

One place in front of her that day was a third of Kingman’s progeny, Remarquee, who would have finished more than a head in front but for being hampered by the winner, Tahiyra, in the closing stages and whose trainer, Ralph Beckett, has done so well in France of late, landing five Group 1 races there in the last 21 months.

Remarquee again proved herself up to this class of race when chasing home Nashwa in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, admittedly at a respectful distance of five lengths.

The other British contenders are Tom Clover’s Rogue Millennium, who relished the drop back to this trip when landing the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, and the John and Thady Gosden-trained Grande Dame, who will surely improve a good deal for her reappearance eighth place when favourite for the Duke Of Cambridge and was a fine third in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at the end of last season.

SELECTION: SAUTERNE Next Best: Kelina

Another of tomorrow’s features is for juveniles, the Group 3 €80,000 Darley Prix de Cabourg over six furlongs. Six go to post here and the Karl Burke-trained Elite Status is out to restore his reputation, which was tarnished when he could finish only third in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

That form has taken a few knocks, as has his wide margin triumph in the Listed National Stakes, so it may pay to take Elite Status on with either Alice Haynes’ promising Yarmouth winner, Power Mode, or the unbeaten Jean-Claude Rouget colt Havana Cigar.

Also for two-year-olds but this time for fillies is the Group 3 €80,000 Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing over seven furlongs.

A daughter of Starspangledbanner, Minoushka looked like she could be something special when she ran away with her Compiegne debut and she can make it two-from-two for trainers Carlos and Yann Lerner here.

The other pattern race on the card is the Group 3 €80,000 Prix de Psyche Sky Sports Racing over a mile and two furlongs.

This represents a fine opportunity for the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Frankel filly Left Sea, who will appreciate the dip in class having contested the Group 1 Prix de Diane last time out.