Darjina Camp Target QEII Glory

Connections of Darjina anticipate another bold show from their star filly in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Owned by Princess Zahra Aga Khan, the daughter of Zamindar will bid to confirm form with Ramonti and George Washington after trumping the pair in the Prix du Moulin earlier in the month.

Darjina suffered her only eclipse to date when third on rain-softened ground in the Coronation Stakes, leaving connections hoping the ground is not so easy at the weekend.

Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said: 'She is a very strong filly and can travel too, but there is good competition.

'If the ground is good I think she will run well in this race.

'She has been beaten only once and that was when it was soft at Ascot. The competition is high but it is very interesting to come over with this filly.

'I hope we have a normal track and we will run. The difficulty is if you have rain just before the race ? if it is two days before it is no problem.'

While Frankie Dettori has reaffirmed his faith in Ramonti ahead of Saturday's rematch, De Royer-Dupre does not believe Darjina will be disadvantaged by Ascot's stiff mile.

'Maybe next year she can run over 10 furlongs but this year I prefer to stay over a mile. The mother in the family won a race over 12 furlongs,' he told At The Races.

Although George Washington is the current favourite ahead of the weekend, De Royer-Dupre feels Darjina beat him fair and square in the Moulin.

'People said after the race in Longchamp he (George Washington) had a bad race,' he added.

'But the filly travels well and I think we had a normal race in Longchamp.'

Darjina is a best-priced 3-1 with totesport for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while George Washington and Ramonti trade at 15-8 and 4-1 respectively with the same firm.

(C) PA Sport