Champion Poser For Lemaire

Christophe Lemaire will be aboard either Pride or Touch Of Land in Saturday´s Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

Lemaire will ride one of the French challengers in the end-of-season showpiece after partnering both horses on their latest outings at Longchamp.

Pride, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, finished seventh in the Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe, while Alex Pantall´s Touch of Land was in the winner´s enclosure the previous day.

'I am not sure whether I am going to ride Pride or Touch of Land, as Touch of Land won the Prix Dollar - a Group Two,' Lemaire told At The Races.

'I know he is a little bit below the best horses in Europe, but he is very consistent and I ride many horses for his trainer.'

Lemaire has been on Pride for her last three starts, which have yielded wins in the Prix Jean Romanet before her easy success in the Prix Foy at Longchamp last month.

'She had a really good trip that day and did not have to make any effort. When we had a gap she really picked up and beat Alkaased and Shirocco quite easily,' he said.

'She has good turn of foot and was able to use it, but you have to say Alkaased was a little bit unfit and the Prix Foy is a prep race for the Arc.'

Of her Arc run, Lemaire added: 'She was a little bit unlucky on the false straight of the course when the horses started to pick up and go quicker.

'I had to check her for one or two strides and without that we could have finished fifth - just behind Shirocco.

'She ran a good race but I was a little bit disappointed about the finish as I thought she would be in the first five.

'I don´t think the trip (10 furlongs) will bother her and the ground should be fine as it was pretty quick when she won the Prix Foy.'

? PA Sport