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Miss France Coming To Boil For Daniel Wildenstein Mission

Miss France attempts to get back to winning ways in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp on Saturday.

Miss France winning the Aqlaam Oh So Sharp Stakes (Fillies' Group 3)
Miss France winning the Aqlaam Oh So Sharp Stakes (Fillies' Group 3) Picture: Pat Healy Photography

Last year's 1000 Guineas heroine went down by a short neck to Sonnerie - who reopposes - at the Paris track last month but had been sidelined since finishing runner-up to Integral in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last October.

Her trainer Andre Fabre was pleased to get that run into her ahead of this race.

"Although she was beaten, I was quite pleased with Miss France last time as she had been off for almost a year with a splint injury," he said.

"It is not easy to get horses race-fit at home and she ran well."

The sole British entry in the Group Two over a mile is John Gosden's Deauville Group Three winner Johnny Barnes.

Jane Chapple-Hyam fears Vazirabad from the Alain de Royer-Dupre stable as The Twisler takes a big hike in class in the Qatar Prix Chaudenay.

Her progressive three-year-old stayer stepped up to beat older horses in the Listed March Stakes at Goodwood five weeks ago and is back among his own age group, albeit at a higher level.

"He's been excellent since his last run, straightforward and no problems," said Chapple-Hyam.

"He's stepping up in class a lot, but in the March Stakes it was against older horses whereas on Saturday he's back in his own age group.

"I think the Royer-Dupre horse will be very hard to catch, but you don't know until you run against them. He's improving all the time, so we'll give it a go."

Martlet takes the big step into Group Two company when she lines up for the Qatar Prix de Royallieu.

The Gosden-trained filly showed she was going the right way when winning the Listed Galtres Stakes at York in August and will have to see off seven fillies and mares in this tough test over an extended mile and a half.

Irish trainer Pat Fahy sends Ballybacka Queen over from his County Carlow base in search of that all-important black type, with hopes high the four-year-old can give a good account.

"The ground's drying out and they say it will be good. It's not ideal, but she's won on good to firm. She's over there and seems happy," said Fahy.

"We're not going on her bare form. She pulled a front shoe off after going a furlong at Haydock and she was lame after the race.

"We went to Galway after a break and came in season at the races, so she ran well there, too, considering. We think she has a lot more to give."


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