Glorious Journey ready to take a step towards French Derby challenge

Prix de Guiche (Group 3) | 1m1f | 3yo | colts and geldings

Charlie Appleby will hope his prolific form can extend across the Channel on Monday, when Glorious Journey aims to stake a claim for Prix du Jockey Club consideration in the Group 3 Prix de Guiche.

With five winners on Saturday and a 2,000 Guineas third, of which Key Victory and Masar have emerged as possible Derby candidates, the Godolphin trainer has his eye on the French Classic programme as well.

Glorious Journey, a 2.6 million guineas buy, is already familiar to French conditions, winning the Group 3 Prix la Rochette last September, and now races in the famous maroon and white silks registered to Sheikha Al Jalila Racing, for whom he finished 13 lengths behind Masar on his reappearance.

Appleby said: "He was fourth on his reappearance in the Craven and has definitely come forward for the run. He wintered very well, a bit too well in Dubai.

"I think he's a horse that could potentially be a French Derby candidate were he to win."

A field of seven includes four last-time-out winners including Godolphin-owned Zucchini from the Andre Fabre stable, who is entered in the Investec Derby.

The Ed Dunlop-trained Alternative Fact also holds the Epsom Classic engagement and makes his seasonal debut having finished second to subsequent Group 3 winner Wootton in a Deauville Listed prize.

Dunlop said: "He finished a well-beaten second to Wootton and won his maiden at Salisbury before that. He's been in good form but we're on a bit of learning curve really to see where we are."

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