Rail Draw For Zarak In Poulains

'TDN Rising Star' Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been drawn in one against the rail for Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Deauville which, unlike its customary Longchamp equivalent, is to be staged on the straight course. His Highness the Aga Khan's unbeaten son of the brilliant Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) needs to improve on his bare form to emulate his dam's victory in the Pouliches in 2008, with his warm-up coming in a conditions win over this trip on Maisons-Laffitte's straight track Apr. 19.

“We have to go,” trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said of the blueblood. “He's a typical Dubawi, in that he does the minimum at home but he looks well. His main quality is he has a nice turn of foot.” Georges Rimaud, stud manager for his owner-breeder, added, “He won his trial and I think he will have improved from it. Zarak is a good, sound horse and hopefully he continues to do well. He has worked well since and everything looks good–all the lights are green.”

Quite how the draw will play out in an open-looking edition is uncertain, but if bare form is the best guide then Godolphin's Birchwood (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is the one to beat. Last year's G2 Superlative S. winner was third in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh in September and also in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in October, and John Ferguson is expecting a bold show. “Birchwood is a horse who has been pleasing Richard Fahey at home. He took him to Newcastle for a racecourse gallop and he performed well,” Godolphin's racing manager and chief executive said. “He will be in a good place when he turns up for the Guineas on Sunday.”

Ireland is represented by the impressive Navan maiden winner The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who bids to provide Aidan O'Brien with a fourth renewal. He beat the subsequent G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial fifth Saafarr (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) by nine lengths over a mile Apr. 17, and his trainer said, “He's been in good form since he won and we thought this race would suit him, so we supplemented him for it.”