Prix de Diane at Chantilly

For fashionistas the Prix de Diane fixture at Chantilly is the top event of the French season, and for racing fans too the French Oaks, run today at 16.10 over 2100 metres, is also a major Group One event. Last Sunday, at the Jockey-Club meeting here, Jean-Claude Rouget and his jockey Christophe Lemaire, dominated proceedings, winning the French Derby and all the main supporting features as well, and it could be a similar situation today, as their unbeaten filly Stacelita is a clear favourite for the Diane.

That would also be a good result for the German breeding industry, as Stacelita is a daughter of Monsun and is descended from a Schlenderhan family. Rouget has a second iron in the fire with Tamazirte (Ioritz Mendizibal), while the other main dangers are the Aga Khan´s Shedayama (Alain de Royer-Dupre´/ Christophe Soumillon) and the British challenger Fantasia (Luca Cumani/ Stephane Pasquier).

Of great interest to German racefans is the Group Three Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord over a mile at 17.30, in which there are no fewer than 3 German-trained runners - Precious Boy (Waldemar Hickst/ Andreas Suborics), Setareh (Petr Olsanik/ Dominique Boeuf) and Beltanus ( Friedel Willenbrock/ Jerome Lermyte). Of these Precious Boy, despite giving away weight all round, has easily the best chance and his best form of 2008 should be good enough for him to start favourite here and also win this.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Pluie d`Or - Roatan - Cabaretune
2. Race: Audebelle - Question Day - Jotestamax
3. Race: Gallilei - Amico Mio - Almail
4. Race: Tamazirte - Stacelita - Celimene
5. Race: Kingvati - Mesa Marauder - Slickly Royal
6. Race: Sahpresa - Mccartney - Celebrissime
7. Race: Same As Gold - Kibaar - Star Rose
8. Race: Dana Spring - Knowledge - Reve d`Ailleur