Maputo Camp Ponder Dollar Raid

Mark Johnston will take a good look at the field for Saturday's Prix Dollar before deciding whether to let Maputo take his chance at Longchamp.

The Middleham handler has his sights set on the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot later this month, but the Cape Cross colt may first try for a Group Two success in France.

The three-year-old has won six of his eight starts, with his only defeats coming on his debut and in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot in June when dropped in trip.

Since then Maputo has has claimed a valuable handicap at Newmarket, a Listed race at Hamilton and a Group Three at the Curragh.

Johnston said: "I've only just confirmed Maputo for the Dollar this morning. I haven't had chance to look at the race yet to see what else has been left in. The horse is very well, I'm very happy with him, but his main target is the Champion Stakes.

"He could still go to France but the race he will definitely run in is the Champion Stakes, so we'll just have to see about this weekend."

Cirrus Des Aigles, who won the race last year, is the star turn among 18 possibles at this stage, with Corine Barande-Barbe's stable star tackling this race en route to a planned Champion Stakes run.

Lady Cecil's pair of Noble Mission and Al Waab, the Ann Duffield-trained Willie The Whipper, Marco Botti's Planteur, Bonfire from the Andrew Balding yard and David O'Meara's Fattsota are still in the mix.

Godolphin have two possibles in French Navy and Out Of Bounds, while Alain de Royer-Dupre's Mandour, Japanese raider Stellar Wind and Dermot Weld's Yellow Rosebud are also in the reckoning at this stage.


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