Appleby double-handed for Chantilly raid Charlie Appleby will field two live contenders for the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in Masar and Mythical Magic at Chantilly on Sunday. The Group One often throws up a Classic contender and Appleby is struggling to split the pair. Masar won the Solario Stakes last time out, while Mythical Magic met with a first defeat but only narrowly in the Champagne Stakes "Masar and Mythical Magic are in great nick. I know 100 per cent that Mythical Magic will handle the ground and I'm very confident Masar will," said Appleby. "It's a Group One and I like to have a strong hand in it. We were always heading towards the Lagardere with Masar, but we made the entry for the Royal Lodge as you never know what is around the corner. "I think a nice flat track will suit him and we will keep it simple with him. I see Masar getting further in time and I think this is about the maximum trip that Mythical Magic will get. He has got the pace to jump and travel well." The home team is headed by Olmedo, who narrowly failed in Group Three company last time out, while Aidan O'Brien pitches the filly Happily in against the boys In the fillies' equivalent, the Prix Marcel Boussac, Appleby runs Wild Illusion, third behind Soustraction and Efaadah, whom she meets again, in a Group Three at the course last time out. However, the favourite is Freddy Head's Polydream, who beat the May Hill winner Laurens easily when she was last seen. "I thought the Cheveley Park might be a bit quick for her so we've gone for the Boussac. I think she'll get a mile, but it's not written on the wall," said Head. "It's a bit early to be thinking about next year, the French Guineas is back at Longchamp next year. "She's in very good form and I think she's a very talented filly." Soustraction runs in the same Wertheimer Brothers colours and is trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias. "I was disappointed when she was beaten first time, but we turned the form around with the winner that day in a Group Three next time," he said. "She is my best two-year-old and it will take a good one to beat her. "She has improved, she is from the same family as (Arc winner) Solemia." Aidan O'Brien runs only Magical from a strong team of entries.
