Time Challenges For French Honours

Passage Of Time has a fascinating challenge ahead of her in tomorrow's Prix Vermeille, with French Oaks winner West Wind and a host of runners from the Andre Fabre yard taking her on.

Henry Cecil's filly landed a Group One event across the Channel as a two-year-old and was sent off favourite for the Oaks at Epsom but folded into eighth, with a throat abscess blamed for the effort.

Not seen since that day, she is reported to have been working nicely at Newmarket ahead of her return in the prestigious mile-and-a-half Group One, one of three established trials for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Cecil reported: 'I am very pleased with her. Although she has not run for a long time, I am sure she will give a very good account of herself.'

Fabre has five runners to choose from, with Takaniya and Christophe Soumillon's mount Vadapolina owned by the Aga Khan.

Only eighth when fancied in the French Oaks, the latter went on to record a ready success in the Prix de Psyche at Deauville.

The Aga Khan's racing manager, Georges Rimaud, said: 'Takaniya is a decent horse in her own right but she is really there to ensure pace for Vadapolina.

'Vadapolina is a nice filly. She's not in the Arc ? this race is her main objective and we can worry about that later.'

West Wind will be running for the first time since finishing third to Peeping Fawn in the Irish Oaks.

(C) PA Sport