Successful on eight occasions in the G2 Prix de Royallieu, His Highness The Aga Khan obviously places much importance on this race and Saturday's edition at Chantilly features one of his progressive Irish fillies Almela (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Last seen winning the Listed Oyster S. easily over this trip at Galway Sept. 5, the homebred has the profile of a typical Dermot Weld improver. “The ground might be a bit on the quick side for her, but she has to take her chances at this time of year and we expect a big run,” jockey Pat Smullen said. “She goes there a fresh filly. You'd hope that would stand her in good stead between now and the end of the year.” Providing stiff opposition is Mayfair Speculators and Equifrance Holdings's The Juliet Rose (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), who the scored over this course and distance in the June 5 G3 Prix de Royaumont and was also third in the G1 Prix Vermeille over the same track and trip last time Sept. 11. In between, she was 13th in the G1 Prix de Diane over an inadequate 10 1/2 furlongs here June 19 and second attempting to give Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) five pounds in Deauville's G3 Prix Minerve Aug. 14. Third in the Minerve was Gerard Augustin-Normand's Sotteville (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and although she has something to find with the two main protagonists, she could have it in her representing the all-conquering Jean-Claude Rouget stable.
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