Aidan O’Brien will be hoping for further big-race success across the weekend as his filly Warm Heart bids to lower the colours of Blue Rose Cen in the Qatar Prix Vermeille at Longchamp this afternoon.
Just like at York a month ago, Aidan O'Brien has called on the services of experienced 35-year-old James Doyle to partner his daughter of Galileo after the pair clung on grimly for victory in the Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire last-time-out.
Doyle, who would have been hoping Shaquille could send him to Paris seeking a big Group 1 race double, said: "I'm really looking forward to it, it looks like they have had a warm week over there and as we know she likes fast ground so hopefully that will suit her.
"She's very tenacious, she showed that at York when Free Wind came up to her. She certainly tries hard and has a good cruising speed as well.
"I feel very lucky to be called upon and fingers crossed it will be a big weekend."
It's already been something of a remarkable weekend for the Aidan O'Brien team, with Auguste Rodin bouncing back from his King George flop to claim the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday.
O'Brien looks set to saddle four favourites in Group 1 company across France and Ireland this afternoon and confirmed his filly arrives in good order.
He said: "She's in good form and her last run at York was very good.
"She likes nice, fast ground and she's very comfortable at a mile and a half so we're looking forward to seeing her run again.
"She probably won't run get to run in this part of the world after Sunday as the ground might get soft so she might head for the Breeders' Cup, if everything went well."
The home contingent will be hoping Blue Rose Cen enjoys a smoother passage than she did when fourth in the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last month. The Christopher Head-trained filly won back-to-back French Classics on her home soil prior to that defeat and Head is confident she can put up a bold bid on her first start over a mile and a half.
"She's doing fine, and she goes into the race very well," said Head.
"We are trying her over a distance that is very different from the beginning just to see what we will do in the future. We need to see what she can do over 2,400 metres to be sure about what we do over the next year.
Blue Rose Cen doesn't hold an entry in the Arc later in the month but a strong showing this afternoon would surely tempt connections to pay the supplementary fee.
Head added: "There is still the possibility she will get supplemented for the Arc. That will all depend on the result of the Vermeille and her aptitude over that kind of distance."
Blue Rose Cen currently just edges favouritism for this afternoon's French Group 1 prize with Paddy Power making her the 13/8 market leader over Warm Heart (15/8).
