Coronet flies the flag for Gosden in quality French Oaks trial

The Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary | 1m2f | Group 1 | ATR/RUK

This contest acts as an important staging post on the road to the Prix de Diane Longines. Stacelita (2009) and Sarafina (2010) achieved the double, and the 2017 edition looks up to standard.

Coronet comes into the race unbeaten having fought off Cunco in the Listed Zetland Stakes on her final start at two.

Also making her first start of the season, Sobetsu finished fifth to Rhododendron in the Fillies' Mile, while Asking steps up in trip after finishing runner-up to Bean Feasa in the Leopardstown Guineas Trial a week ago.

Lady Frankel makes the same move up after finishing third to Senga in the Prix de la Grotte and bids to give Andre Fabre a ninth win in the race.

Arguably the key piece of French form is the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux won by Gold Luck, who is reopposed by runner-up Monroe Bay, third Hebah and fourth Vue Fantastique, with a short head, a head and three-quarters of a length having covered the four.

The German-trained Peace In Motion went into plenty of notebooks when winning on her debut at Saint-Cloud in October and was not disgraced when third behind Delectation in Cologne, a race in which she ran very wide on the bend.

What they say

Jean-Claude Rouget, trainer of Hebah
I like her a lot and she's improving. She's come in her coat and is always a generous filly.

John Gosden, trainer of Coronet
They've had some rain which has put the ground on the soft side, but there's no reason she can't handle it as she's out of a Darshaan mare. She goes in good form and the trip will suit her.

Andre Fabre, trainer of Lady Frankel
She's probably my best chance of the weekend if she gets the trip. Her style of racing suggests she'll get the mile and a quarter, and she has class.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Sobetsu
We held her in high regard last year. She's wintered well and this race will help sort out plans for the remainder of the campaign.

Freddy Head, trainer of Gold Luck
She won well last time and I think she's improved. I don't think the ground will matter to her.