Diamond Necklace could yet be the jewel in the crown

Diamond Necklace is the undoubted star attraction as she puts her unbeaten record and tall reputation on the line in the Emirates Poule d’Essai Pouliches.

The daughter of St Mark’s Basilica was brilliant in winning each of her three juvenile starts and has already proved her liking for Paris by signing off last season with a Group One success on Arc weekend in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

With Aidan O’Brien sending Precise and the eventual winner True Love sent to Newmarket for last weekend’s 1000 Guineas, it is logical that Diamond Necklace was saved for the French equivalent and there is no doubt she is held in the highest regard at Ballydoyle.

“Diamond Necklace is very like her dad (St Mark’s Basilica), she’s made great progress,” the trainer said earlier this spring.

“She’s very strong, very natural and takes no training. She’s doing the same as him.

“We were surprised at what she did at two, we couldn’t wait to get her finished.

“She’s very natural and very quick – Christophe (Soumillon) was always besotted by her.”

The raiding party also includes Simon and Ed Crisford’s Zanthos, who rounded off her two-year-old season with victory in Newmarket’s Rockfel Stakes.

That form received a boost at Newmarket with runner-up The Prettiest Star only three and a half lengths behind True Love in fourth place, and connections of Zanthos are looking forward to belatedly getting her season under way.

Chris Wall, racing manager for owners Victorious Forever, said: “Zanthos is in good form. We bypassed the 1000 Guineas in England because she needed a little time to truly come to herself this year, but she is now in very good condition and she has worked well.

“All the lights are green. Our only slight concern is the ground because there has been a lot of rain in Paris and the track could be soft, which probably would not suit her.

“Last year, no doubt because she came from the breeze-ups, she was always quite keen and wanted to do everything too quickly. She is more relaxed now, which will give her every chance of staying the distance. But it remains an unknown and, until we have tried, we will not know for certain.

“She has progressed, so we are very confident that there is still more to come from her, but over what distance will she be at her best? We have to go racing to find out.”

The pick of the home team could be Francis-Henri Graffard’s Narissa, who was third behind Diamond Necklace in the Boussac and was last seen chasing home Karl Burke’s subsequent 1000 Guineas runner-up Evolutionist in the Prix de la Grotte.

“Narissa worked well last Tuesday and latest race is very interesting, especially as the form has since been confirmed,” said Nemone Routh, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in France.

“Narissa is a filly who absolutely has to be covered up in order to show her full ability. She has a real turn of foot and seems capable of adapting to different types of ground, even though she may be slightly better on good ground. Here again, the draw will be decisive in optimising her run.”