France Expects

After a satisfactory re-introduction, Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd’s Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) has her sights set on a filly-dominated edition of Longchamp’s G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Saturday. Beaten a short neck by the re-opposing Sonnerie (GB) (More Than Ready) attempting to give that rival five pounds in the Listed Prix de la Cochere over a mile here last time Sept. 6, last year’s G1 1000 Guineas heroine was brushing the dust off after an injury-induced lay-off having last been seen finishing runner-up in the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket in October. “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,” trainer Andre Fabre said. “It is not easy to get horses race fit at home and she ran well.” Alongside Sonnerie, the Wertheimers who captured this 12 months ago with Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) also have the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained 3-year-old filly Impassable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and she was the winner of the G2 Prix de Sandringham over this trip at Chantilly at the end of May. “She was sick and coughing a lot after the Sandringham and is coming along well,” her conditioner said. “She may go for the GI Matriarch S. after this.” Another of that age and sex with real substance is the Wildensteins’ Akatea (Ire) (Shamardal) and she was second to Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Prix du Moulin over this course and distance Sept. 13.