Fantasia takes on mighty Rouget in Prix de Diane
Preview: France, Sunday 3.10pm BST (live on ATR/RUK)
Chantilly: Prix de Diane (Group 1) 1m2½f, 3yo fillies
FANTASIA takes on the might of the seemingly unstoppable Jean-Claude Rouget stale today as she visits France for another Classic in the Prix de Diane.
After scorching home in the Nell Gwyn, the Luca Cumani-trained daughter of Sadler's Wells was a one-paced third behind Rouget's all-the-way winner Elusive Wave in last month's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas), where she was sent off an odds-on favourite.
Now Fantasia must overcome a formidable Rouget pair in the unbeaten Stacelita and Pouliches runner-up Tamazirte in the French Oaks.
With Frankie Dettori claimed to ride in Germany for Godolphin, Stephane Pasquier takes over on George Strawbridge's fily.
Rouget, though, is in brilliant form, having last weekend added the Prix du Jockey Club to his Classic haul with Le Havre.
His number one representative is hot favourite Stacelita, whose scintillating victory in the Prix Saint-Alary took her career record to four out of four.
In testing conditions which she appeared to adore, the daughter of Monsun finished six lengths clear of the runner-up Article Rare, with today's rivals Ana Americana and Plumania even further back.
Tamazirte also has plenty to recommend her. Partly owned by the French Minister of Defence Herve Morin, she landed the Prix de la Grotte and was then staying on behind Elusive Wave in the Pouliches.
Trained at Maisons-Laffitte by Carlos Lerner and to be ridden by his son Yann, Celimene has an unblemished record and last month at Saint-Cloud she was not in any way extended to win the Group 3 Prix Penelope when beating Plumania by a length and a half.
Alain de Royer-Dupre and the Aga Khan have won five of the last 16 runnings of the Diane, most recently with the great Zarkava last year.
They run the lightly raced Shediyama, while the Wildenstein colours are carried by Board Meeting and her pacemaker Onega Lake.
Trainer Elie Lellouche won the Diane for the Wildensteins in 2001 with Aquarelliste and a year later with Bright Sky.
After considerable rain earlier in the week, the trackis drying up well and clerk of the course Mathieu Vincent said yesterday: "I expect to post the going as good to soft (3.4) tomorrow morning at 10 am.
"It has become much hotter and it should continue to dry although there is a slight risk of the odd shower during the day."
Desmond Stoneham's selection: Fantasia
What they say
Alain de Royer-Dupre, trainer of Shediyama
"We were a little bit disappointed with her last time out and she looks to have a pretty difficult task at this level, but she's a filly who has a lot of quality and better than she has shown todate. She has had one or two problems which appear to be over and is probably at her best on good ground."
Philippe Demercastel, trainer of Ana Americana
"She ran very well inthe Prix Saint-Alary and I think she is even better than that performance suggests as she was interfered with in the straight. She prefers soft ground."
Jean-Claude Rouget, trainer of Tamazirte and Stacelita
"I think Stacelita might be unbeatable if the ground turns out soft but I am also hoping that she might be just as effective on good going.
"My only worry with Tamazairte is that she might not staythe distance - otherwise she is in great form."
Ioritz Mendizabal, rider of Tamazirte
"She has never done the distance and never been worked over it so the big question is whether the filly will stay the trip of 2,100m. I rode her in work last Saturday and she was in great form. I think the Diane will be for her stablemate Stacelita if the ground is heavy and mine will go really well if the going turns out to be good."
Elie Lellouche, trainer of Board Meeting and Onega Lake
"Board Meeting didn't act at all well last time out at Saint-Cloud, which is left-handed, so this track should suit her better. There was some interference at the end of the race and she is really a lot better since that outing. I think very highly of her and I hope she can follow in the footsteps of her half sister who won the Diane. Any ground will suit.
Criquette Head-Maarek, trainer of Denomination
"I would love to go one better than last week with Fuisse. The filly has had a nice rest since her last win and has been working nicely on the gallops. I think she has improved since her last race and my only doubt is this longer distance. The ground won't be an excuse."
Carlos Lerner, trainer of Celimene
"I was second with Volvoreta in the Diane in 2001 and I hope to go one better this time. We have left her fresh and missed the Saint-Alary on purpose. We took her to Chantilly at the end of May and she worked very well withtwo others in her reconnaissance mission. Physically she is in great shape and a very high-class filly."
Yves de Nicolay, trainer of Eclair De Lune
"Her preparation has been alittle interrupted as she began to cough after her seasonal debut so we missed the traditional trials. She won very well at Chantilly and I have always thought a lot of her and that is why I engaged her in the Classics at the beginning of the year. She has been in great form since her last outing."
Christophe Lemaire, rider of Stacelita
"It was a good demonstration of her class which she showed when winning the Saint-Alary. The ground that day was very testing and the only question is whether she will be so effective on a better surface. She might be less dominant but could be just as quick. I chose her because we have already won a Group 1 race and we will see after the Diane if the filly is really out of the ordinary."
Luca Cumani, trainer of Fantasia
"We have heard that there will be good ground and that is a good thing as it suits everyone. We are very happy with the way the filly is for the moment. Last timeout in France they went slow and Lemaire rode a beautiful race from in front on a very good horse and he started the sprint in the straight and was impossible to catch. This longer distance should be better and we have a good jockey who is as good as anyin France but I am very aware that Stacelita will be a tough nut to crack."
Carlos Laffon-Parias, trainer of Celebra
"We were very very disappointed with her performance in the Prix de Sandringham but she has come out of the race very well and the distance should not be a problem. I have no doubt that she could take a place."
Pierre Yves Bureau, racing manager to the Wertheimer Brothers, owner of Plumania
"She ran a good race in the Penelope behind Celimene but hated the soft ground in the Saint-Alary last time where she completely lost her action. She has come out of the race in great form and Olivier has chosen to ride her. It is a very open race and there look like to be some top-class fillies taking part."
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