Beckett sets Mountain Bell Barbeville examination against Royal-Oak hero

4.50 Longchamp
Prix de Barbeville (Group 3)| 4yo+ | 1m7½f | ATR

Mountain Bell takes the next step on her education as a stayer when lining up against ten rivals in a race which traditionally marks the start of the season among the French staying ranks.

With only the triple Dubai Gold Cup hero Vazirabad absent among the leading two milers, the opposition is not to be taken lightly, with Prix Royal-Oak winner Ice Breeze and recent Listed winner Against Rules likely to feature high on the list for local backers.

Mountain Bell was fifth to Funny Kid in a slowly run affair on All-Weather Finals day at Lingfield and Oisin Murphy may well be hoping that veteran Mille Et Mille injects some rhythm into proceedings.

"She won over the trip at Newcastle two starts back and we feel it is a good opportunity, running here," said Beckett. "Ice Breeze is obviously going to be hard to beat but we are getting close to a stone from him, while she is fit and well."

2.50 Longchamp
Prix Allez France Longines (Group 3)4yo+ fillies and mares | 1m2f | ATR

Bebe D'Amour showed herself to be a filly that continues to improve when beating no fewer than four of her rivals here in the Listed Prix Zarkava three weeks ago and is likely to be well supported in her quest for a first Group race success.

The Artu family's homebred daughter of Montmartre had three lengths in hand over Diana Storm on that occasion and, while the ground is unlikely to be anywhere near as deep on Sunday, Bebe D'Amour showed she handled a sounder surface when second to Kitesurf over a mile and a half in the Prix de Royaumont last June.

Trainer Jean-Yves Artu said: "I think she has come on for that run because she was by no means at 100 per cent. She handles most ground and mentally she has grown up a lot since last year."

Kitesurf is an obvious danger if near her peak for a first start of the season, though this is arguably short of her optimum trip.

Gaining, another of the debutants, won a Listed race for Criquette Head-Maarek at Saint-Cloud last October and is now under the care of the in-form Henri-Francois Devin.

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