Twelve years on from Divine Proportions (Kingmambo) sealing a third renewal of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for the Niarchos family, it is that luminary's trainer Pascal Bary who is charged with extending the sequence with Senga (Blame) in the Abu Dhabi-sponsored Classic staged again at Deauville. Unlucky when fourth to Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly in October, the bay was back to beat the outsider La Sardane (Fr) (Kingsalsa) and 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Frankel (GB) (Frankel {GB}) with something to spare in the G3 Prix de la Grotte back over that course and distance on Apr. 16. Four fillies since Divine Proportions have won that trial en route to glory here and a 14 draw on this straight track has none of the dire consequence that it would at its customary round track at Longchamp. “She learnt a lot in the Prix de la Grotte,” the owners's racing manager Alan Cooper commented. “She was a little underdone that day and has come on nicely and should be spot on for Saturday. It is the second time this is being run on the straight track and John Gosden's filly [Nathrah] was second from the same draw of 14 last year and there are a lot of good horses on the outside this year. She's a nice, big strong filly and we hope she can go forwards as the year goes on.”
France's other Guineas trial is the G3 Prix Imprudence and this year's edition was won by Haras de Saint Pair's Via Ravenna (Ire) (Raven's Pass), who is the sole Andre Fabre representative bidding to emulate Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City) and Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in bringing up the double in 2009 and 2015, respectively. Impressive when brushing aside Senga's stablemate Thais (Fr) (Rio de la Plata) in that seven-furlong prep at Maisons-Laffitte on Apr. 10, the bay makes up for in residual class what she lacks in experience and conditioning on the racecourse. That is also true of the similarly unbeaten Delectation (GB) (Delegator {GB}), who made her debut for the Andreas Wohler stable a taking one when outclassing her rivals in the G3 Schwarzgold-Rennen at Cologne on Apr. 17. Australian Bloodstock Stable's purchase out of the Bryan Smart stable, for whom she won the six-furlong G3 Firth of Clyde S. on her second start at Ayr in September, could be an inspired one if the bay– who originally failed to sell for 3,000gns at Tattersalls–can make her mark against the best of the French fillies.
Aidan O'Brien saddles a trio, with 'TDN Rising Star' Roly Poly (War Front) best on ratings after her juvenile campaign, which featured a win in the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at Newmarket's July meeting and a second in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at the town's Rowley Mile. She has questions to answer following her return seventh in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. over seven furlongs at Newmarket on Apr. 19, but her trainer is expecting better here. “Roly Poly ran well in Newmarket. She got a little bit laboured in the middle of the race, she was a little bit ring-rusty, and then she stayed on at the end of it,” he said.
It may be a significant pointer that Winter's jockey Wayne Lordan is on the stable's Rain Goddess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was seventh behind that 1000 Guineas heroine in the seven-furlong G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial S. on Apr. 8 before finishing fourth in the G3 Fred Darling S. over the same trip at Newbury a fortnight later.
William Haggas has two live contenders in Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum's unbeaten Listed Radley S. winner Cristal Fizz (Ire) (Power {GB}) and Sunderland Holdings' Sea of Grace (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}). The latter was fifth in the Nell Gwyn on her first start for her Newmarket yard having won the G3 Flame of Tara S. for John Oxx at The Curragh in August. “I could have done with a bit more rain, there's not been enough, but they are both fit and well and should hopefully run well in what is a big, competitive field,” their trainer commented.
Jean-Claude Rouget is impossible to ignore as he bids for a fourth consecutive renewal, but last year's G3 Prix d'Aumale winner Toulifaut (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has to improve to figure for the stable, while Al Shaqab Racing's unbeaten Wajnah (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) has a chance for the Francois Rohaut barn after beating the subsequent Grotte runner-up and Imprudence third La Sardane and Silver Storm (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), respectively, in a heavy-ground conditions event over this trip at Bordeaux-le-Bouscat on Mar. 5.
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