Today's ground will be fast enough for the Gosden colt Johnny Barnes after the latter won a Group 3 in testing going at Deauville and he meets stronger opposition in this. Freddie Head has won two of the last four renewals and has another likely candidate in SONNERIE. The latter took a big step forward with a defeat of today's rival and last year's Newmarket 1000 Guineas winner Miss France when scoring over track and trip last month and any further improvement may well be enough to keep Akatea at bay. Though the latter looks sure to make a bold bid after finishing ahead of Wild Chief when runner-up in the Prix Moulin last time and should also have the measure of Impassable.
Wild Chief (GER) 10-1 (9-3) 5th of 6, 2 3/4l behind Ervedya (8-9) at Longchamp 1m Grp 1 sft in Sep.
Miss France (IRE) 4-5fav (8-13) 2nd of 9, shd behind Sonnerie (8-9) at Longchamp 1m lst stks gd in Sep.
Johnny Barnes (IRE) 4-1 (8-10) won at Deauville 1m Grp 3 sft in Aug beating Stillman (9-2) by shd, 6 ran.
Impassable (IRE) 10-1 (8-11) won at Chantilly 1m Grp 2 fll gd in May beating La Berma (8-11) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
Sonnerie 9-1 (8-9) won at Longchamp 1m lst stks gd in Sep beating Miss France (8-13) by shd, 9 ran.
Akatea (IRE) 20-1 (8-9) 2nd of 6, 1l behind Ervedya (8-9) at Longchamp 1m Grp 1 sft in Sep.
