'She's done really well physically' - Shane Foley backs 1,000 Guineas runner-up to go one better in Sunday's Prix de Diane

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Shane Foley is hoping to clinch another Classic for the Zhang family on Sunday, four years after partnering Magical Lagoon to victory in the Irish Oaks, as 1,000 Guineas runner-up Evolutionist takes on hot favourite Diamond Necklace in the French equivalent.

Trained by Karl Burke, Evolutionist's best effort as a two-year-old came when placed in the Fillies' Mile behind Precise, and she returned this season with a power-packed performance in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte at Longchamp in April before following that up with a cracking effort in the 1,000 Guineas, proving best of the rest behind True Love.

Now the filly is set for Sunday's Prix de Diane (3.05) at Chantilly, and Foley reports her in fine form ahead of her next Classic assignment, having sat on her this week. He is confident she will cope with the step up to 1m2½f.

"I had a sit on her Tuesday morning and she's done really well physically," he said. "She's come out of every run well and come forward each time. She worked well the other morning. The only question we had was whether we should have left her in the Coronation, but this has always been the plan. I thought she was an Oaks filly at one stage and she'd have no bother going a mile and a half, but she is after getting sharper with racing.

"I think she'll get the trip. She has sharpened up and showed with the way she travelled in her two races this year that she has pace, but the good ones do. 

"It was a massive run in the Guineas. We always thought she was a good filly last year and she had a good comeback in France. The ground is going to be lovely by the sounds of it, so fingers crossed."

Shane Foley: has had an excellent season riding for Zhang Yuesheng's operationCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The 11-time Group 1-winning rider has an excellent association with the owners – the Zhang family through Ace Stud – having landed his third Irish Classic on Magical Lagoon in 2022, while he also partnered Lucky Vega to victory at the top level.

He has enjoyed some fine success for the owners this season, particularly with the rapidly improving Double Rush, who is set for Royal Ascot after bolting up in a £100,000 handicap at Newmarket last month.

Foley said: "Mr Zhang [Yuesheng] is still involved and [daughter] Rachel and her husband Harris are the driving force behind the European side of things. The ambition was to rebuild and to get these sort of horses on the books. 

"We have Double Rush and Knights Charge on Saturday at Ascot, and there are some fine, big two-year-olds who I think will be nice at the back end of the season. It's been a fruitful start to the year and hopefully Evolutionist can keep it going."

Foley's domestic duties with Jessica Harrington are also going nicely after a double at Leopardstown on Thursday, the highlight being the hugely impressive Cromac Quay, who bolted up in a maiden by nine and a half lengths.

He added: "When Cromac Quay got beat at Naas I was scratching my head a little bit as I really liked her. In hindsight, a few things went wrong and she was probably beaten by a very good filly but she showed on Thursday what we always thought she was and she's one to look forward to."

Prix de Diane Longines (Chantilly, Sunday)
Coral: 4-6 Diamond Necklace, 5 Lilt, 8 Evolutionist, 9 Felicitas, 12 Green Spirit, 20 Moments Of Joy, Pink Panthera, 25 Esna, Inis Mor, 66 Evita, Habibi.

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