Olivier Peslier has a brilliant book of rides at Longchamp on Sunday
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/RacingPostPix.comUnbeaten La Peinture puts record on the line
Preview: France, Sunday (1.30pm BST)
Longchamp: Montjeu Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (Group 1) 1m2f, 3yo fillies
AS if the ride on Cirrus Des Aigles was not enough to look forward to, Olivier Peslier will be hoping to have already bagged the first Group 1 on the card courtesy of the unbeaten La Peinture (Frederic Rossi).
The daughter of Muhtathir was supplemented earlier this week by trainer Frederic Rossi after completing a five-timer in fine style in a Listed race at Toulouse last month.
Before that La Peinture beat Trois Lunes by half a length at Saint-Cloud, since when Francois Rohaut's inmate has boosted the form when defeating Sagawara in the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux.
"She has progressed with each start, she remains unbeaten and she's ready for the bigger tests ahead now," said Rossi. "I think 2000m [1m2f] will prove to be her ideal distance."
The Aga Khan's Sagawara (Alain de Royer-Dupre/Christophe Lemiare) was caught close home by Trois Lunes in the Vanteaux and is expected to strip much fitter after her seasonal debut.
"She's come on a lot for her first run of the season," confirmed Alain de Royer-Dupre. "That was on soft but she goes on all types of ground."
Also on Sunday
Preview: France, Sunday (3.15pm BST)
Longchamp: Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (Group 2) 1m7½f , 4yo+
Marco Botti will be hoping that Peslier's day can get even better as he rides Joshua Tree here for the Newmarket-based trainer.
Joshua Tree made an encouraging start to his career as a stayer when third in the Dubai Gold Cup on his first outing for Botti.
"He's in good order, the same as Planteur he had a break when he came back from Dubai," said Botti earlier this week. "He's quite a big horse and he takes a lot of work so I expect whatever happens on Sunday he will improve a lot.
"There are a lot of races for him, obviously he's been entered in the Gold Cup at Ascot and after that there is a race on Arlington Million day over a mile and six, so we've got a few things in mind for him in the summer and he looks a very good horse."
Veteran Kasbah Bliss (Francois Doumen/Gerald Mosse) heads the home defence returning to the scene of his Prix du Cadran success on Arc Day with the associated Group 1 penalty.
Prairie Star (Christophe Soumillon) showed much better form when second to Usuelo (Jean-Luc Guillochon/Antoine Hamelin) last time in the Prix de Barbeville, and joins stablemate Miss Lago (Gregory Benoist) in a strong hand for Ellie Lellouche.
Both Kasbah Bliss and Prairie Star hold Ascot Gold Cup entries.
