Emma Team Confident With Kinane Booked

Andreas Wohler is anticipating a bold show from Mi Emma in tomorrow's Prix d'Astarte at Deauville.

Mi Emma was an impressive nine-length winner of the German 1000 Guineas and the Silvano filly beat all bar Indian Ink in the Coronation stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

'Everything has gone perfect since Ascot and we are really happy with her, so hopefully the ground will stay fine for her and not be too soft,' Wohler explained.

'She ran a great race at Ascot because before we couldn't compare our standards with the other very good fillies, but we were really happy with her effort.'

Mick Kinane will take over at the weekend and Wohler is pleased to have obtained his services for such a prestigious contest.

'I asked Mick Kinane to ride her last week because our stable jockey cannot ride the weight. That's why we were looking for another jockey and he is a great jockey ? I like him a lot,' he added.

'Simply Perfect and Darjina are probably the other horses to beat, and maybe All Is Vanity after she won the Prix De Sandringham last time. It looks like it will be a brilliant race.'

Kieren Fallon returns to France to team up with Falmouth Stakes winner Simply Perfect, who was partnered by Johnny Murtagh at Newmarket.

Thierry Thulliez steps in for the suspended Christophe Soumillon on Alain de Royer-Dupre's Darjina, who finished one place behind Mi Emma at Ascot.

Andre Fabre sends out Sheikh Mohammed's Utrecht, a fast-improving daughter of Rock of Gibraltar who booked her ticket with an easy win in the Group Three Prix Chloe.

David Elsworth is represented by Barshiba, while Classic-placed Impressionnante, runner-up to Mandesha in last year's d'Astarte, makes her belated seasonal bow.

Other notable contenders in the 12-strong field include Italian Oaks sixth Lokaloka, with the smart All Is Vanity, who will be seeking a five-timer.

(C) PA Sport