Next Sunday, horse racing fans will again have all eyes focused on Chantilly racecourse ahead of the next French classic, the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks).
Trainers of Heartache Tonight and Novakai have both given developments of their two possibilities ahead of the race.
Novakai finished runner-up in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster in September before filling the same spot when behind Commissioning in the Group 1 Fillies Mile at Newmarket.
The smart three-year-old filly Novakai looks set for the Group 1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly. She arrives following a good second to subsequent Group 1 Epsom Oaks winner Soul Sister at York in the Group 3 Musidora Stakes last month and speaking on ITV Racing trainer Karl Burke said:
"She's on her way to the Prix de Diane and looks in great shape. We are very happy. The Musidora form line looks good, of course, and now it's up to Novakai to reinforce the strength of the York prep race."
The daughter of Lope De Vega also holds an entry in the Group 1 Irish Oaks in July.
However, the Group 1 Prix de Diane looks unlikely to be on the agenda for David Menuisier's Heartache Tonight.
The daughter of Recorder finished third in the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp, Heartache Tonight contested the Classic Group 1 Betfred Oaks last Friday week at Epsom and finished sixth.
Speaking to the French publication Jour-de-Galop, English-based trainer David Menuisier said:
"This edition of the Oaks was quite exceptional from the point of view of firmness of the track. Beaten by the best fillies, Heartache Tonight had no problem adapting to the uniqueness of the track.
"We can't say that she ran badly, but on a fast track she doesn't have the same acceleration, like her sister Wonderful Tonight for that matter."
The filly is entered in the Classic Group 1 Prix de Diane to be run at Chantilly next Sunday, but Menuisier has ruled her out of the race:
"I think she would not have found her conditions next week. She's going to take a break and come back to run in the trials in autumn. We think of the Arc where his sister would have raced if we had presented her as a three-year-old. If we see that she does not measure up to gain a start in the Arc, the program offers many other possibilities."
