Christophe Soumillon: called for a pacemaker to aid Beauty Parlour
PICTURE: Getty ImagesBeauty Parlour out to confirm her star billing
Preview: France, Sunday (2.40pm BST)
Longchamp: Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Group 1) 1m, 3yo fillies
BEAUTY PARLOUR (Elie Lellouche/Christophe Soumillon) puts her unbeaten record on the line having won her three races to date by an aggregate margin of 16 lengths.
Almost as remarkable is the fact that the Wildensteins' daughter of Deep Impact has won precisely the same three races as last season's dual Classic winner Golden Lilac had at this stage of her career.
"Since her debut I've always thought she was a good filly," said Lellouche on Friday. "The way she won her first race she looked good from the start."
Despite having dominated the key trial for the Pouliches, the Prix de la Grotte, Soumillon's initial reaction was toask for a pacemaker next time out.
Beauty Parlour has been drawn right next to stablemate Regatta (Anthony Crastus) in the centre of the 13-runner field andif she reproduces the form she has shown to date, it will take a very smart filly to beat her.
On ratings Fire Lily (David Wachman/Wayne Lordan) has achieved more than Beauty Parlour, having finished second to both Maybe and Elusive Kate in Group 1s as a juvenile.
The form of her comeback second at Leopardstown also received a mighty boost from Homecoming Queen's demolition job in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas.
Aidan O'Brien: seeking more glory
PICTURE: Getty ImagesAidan O'Brien saddles the third and fifth home from that Leopardstown trial, with Up (Joseph O'Brien) having run a particularly nice race just behind Fire Lily.
However, O'Brien junior will have to be at his best as Up is drawn widestof the 13 runners, on a course where winners hailing from double-figure stalls are a rarity over 1m.
After (Colm O'Donoghue) is better placed in stall five but even on arguably her best run behind Fire Lily in the Anglesey Stakes, she has plenty to find.
The Coolmore quartet is completed by Petite Noblesse (Andre Fabre/Maxime Guyon), who won as she liked in a conditions race on soft ground at Longchamp three weeks ago and remains largely unexposed.
Topeka (Robert Collet/Ioritz Mendizabal) was a Group 3 winner at two and is bound to have come on plenty, after subsiding rather meekly behind Mashoora in the Prix Imprudence.
"Everything has gone well since her return, when she really needed the run," said Collet, who won his only Pouliches 31 years ago with Ukraine Girl under Pat Eddery. "She showed last year she was up to group class and to run in a mile classic has been her main aim since."
Samitar (Mick Channon/Olivier Peslier) is the sole British runner and should appreciate the return to the trip which saw her get within a head of landing the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket last September.
Comments