As the leading trainer in Sunday's G3 Prix la Force with seven winners, including last year's Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), Andre Fabre has the early Derby pointer high on his annual agenda and he saddles two in the Godolphin livery in the Chantilly-staged latest edition. If visual impression is significant, it could be that Franz Schubert (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is the pick after his smooth debut win over this course and distance in October, but stablemate Graphite (Fr) (Shamardal) has grit in abundance on limited evidence, beating the progressive Stunning Spirit (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) over this trip last time at Maisons-Laffitte in October. Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin commented, “Franz Schubert won his maiden nicely last season and has done well over the winter. Graphite has also been training well and this race will hopefully provide clues as to where we go with both horses over the coming months.” Jean-Claude Rouget supplies Al Shaqab Racing's unbeaten Afandem (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), who is also a course winner, albeit on the Polytrack over 9 1/2 furlongs Mar. 10, while the form standard is set by Eckhard Sauren's gelded G3 Prix des Chenes runner-up High Alpha (Fr) (Fuisse {Fr}).
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