'She is perfect and we've prepared her for this' - can Jean-Claude Rouget win his sixth French 1,000 Guineas?

Could the first fillies' Classic of the season in France, the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, be a tale of two trials? 

Last Sunday's 1,000 Guineas showcased the depth of two prep races which, at the time they were run, were dismissed by many people as likely to have little bearing on future Group 1s. 

The lukewarm reception to Folgaria's win at Newbury may have been as much down to a lack of familiarity with the champion two-year-old filly from Italy as it was the unfashionable nature of the Fred Darling but, either way, her win looks a lot more interesting after third-placed Elmalka's 1,000 Guineas victory. 

The Prix Imprudence also went under the radar in early April, with runner-up Ramatuelle pushed out in the betting for the Guineas and third-placed Tamfana virtually ignored. 

That opinion had at least partially been revised last Sunday, with Ramatuelle heavily backed, and she would have almost certainly won had the race been 50 yards shorter, while another 50 yards the other way would have made it Tamfana's Guineas. 

All of which speaks powerfully for Godolphin's Romantic Style, who won the Imprudence in the manner of an improving filly. The fly in the ointment for the daughter of Night Of Thunder is that even her trainer Charlie Appleby is not entirely convinced she will see out a strongly run mile, a task further complicated by drawing stall 14 of 15. William Buick risks having to cover extra ground, or work over towards the rail in the hope the leaders go too fast. 

There probably shouldn't be as much clear water in the market between Romantic Style and her fellow Godolphin challenger, the imposing Rock'n Swing, who is two from two for Andre Fabre and arguably bred to be a Prix de Diane (French Oaks) filly. 

The key French trial has traditionally been the Prix de la Grotte, although unusually the winner, Candala, has not been pleasing trainer Francis Graffard and misses the race. 

No fewer than four of the fillies who chased Candala home in what was a blanket finish are here to take their chance, while Graffard looks to produce a supersub in Rouhiya, who came to throw down a big challenge to Rock'n Swing before tiring in cloying ground. 

Of the fillies coming on from the Grotte, third-placed Tulipa Chope might easily be the most interesting, while last year's Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Rose Bloom will surely have progressed from her seventh-placed effort. 

Louise Procter has come a very different route but has looked potentially top drawer in three unbeaten starts for Jean-Claude Rouget, five-time winner of the race.

There has been plenty of buzz around Content this spring, and Aidan O'Brien did little to dispel the notion she could be a Group 1 filly in his Racing Post Stable Tour.

O'Brien has sent out 20 beaten fillies in the Pouliches since his sole victory with Rose Gypsy in 2001, only five of which were returned at single figures. 

Fellow Irish-trained challenger Vespertilio has just about the best juvenile form on offer and might be one that local Pari Mutuel punters overlook, although stall 11 is little help to her cause.

What they say

Francis Graffard, trainer of Rouhiya
She has come on a lot from her seasonal debut. She’s a good-ground filly, she’s in top form and although it’s a gamble, she is a filly I've always rated. Stall ten will have to do – it’s better than being drawn 15.

Willie McCreery, trainer of Vespertilio
Vespertilio has done well over the winter, is working well and I'm delighted with her. We can't wait.

Nicolas Clement, trainer of Rose Bloom
Rose Bloom is very well and if the ground continues to dry out all the better. You can forget her comeback run on greasy going and she’s come on a lot for that. We have Pasquier to ride her and the filly ran very well in the Boussac.

Philippe Sogorb, trainer of See You Around
I think she’s improved at three and although her comeback was pretty average, she came back a bit under the weather, while she is a filly that likes to be ridden near the speed and ended up too far back. She then won well at Toulouse and she is a filly with some quality who also possesses a big heart.

Yann Lerner, trainer of Minoushka and Opera Mundi
Minoushka took her run in the Grotte extremely well and I think she’s in much better shape now and looks great. We haven’t been done too many favours by the draw but we’re surrounded by fillies with big chances and with Christophe Soumillon on board, we have another asset. Opera Mundi didn’t go well on her return but they went no pace and she pulled hard. She still finished off well, having been caught out when they accelerated. She was a Listed winner at two and while she doesn’t hold a leading chance, if they go a good pace she has a very nice turn of foot.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Romantic Style
Romantic Style goes into this in good order on the back of her win in the Prix Imprudence. She has definitely come on for that run and we are hopeful that she can see out the mile, although being drawn in 14 will make things slightly harder.

Andre Fabre, trainer of Rock'n Swing
She has the pedigree for further but she has the class to run well in this race.

George Boughey, trainer of Chic Colombine
She's a very different animal since Saint-Cloud. She was ready to start but she's done very well since. The ground will be very different but her work has been more than adequate on it in Newmarket. It's almost a no-pressure ride for Billy [Loughnane] now we're drawn in 15. We'll have a proper look at it tonight but I think it's a case of over to Billy and see where he lands. William [Buick] is going to have the same question from a wide gate.

Stephane Wattel, trainer of Tulipa Chope
She ran well on her comeback without overdoing it. She was on the go early at two but physically she has done really well from two to three and has thrived over the winter. She’s very easy to place in a race and it’s an advantage, as is her draw in four. I think she’s truly indifferent to the state of the going and she has shown she can really accelerate on good ground.

Brian Meehan, trainer of Kathmandu
She's in great form. I was very pleased with her run in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket. Sean [Levey] said things didn't really go according to plan that day. I suppose the form of that race didn't work out in the 1,000 Guineas, but we've had an extra week. We've got an excellent draw, and I'm really happy with her.

Marco Botti, trainer of Folgaria
She's drawn in stall six which is fine for her and she should be suited by going back around a bend as she needs to settle. The form of her win in the Fred Darling has worked out well with the third winning the 1,000 Guineas and we are very happy with how our filly has come out of the race. She goes there with a good profile even though the mile is as far as she wants to go.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Content
It's obviously her first run of the year and she will come on for it. We haven't done an awful lot with her but she seems in good form and we're looking forward to seeing how she gets on.

Jean-Claude Rouget, trainer of Louise Procter
She is perfect and we've prepared her for this.

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