By Tom Frary
Godolphin and Andre Fabre are enjoying a strong start to the season and as they are combined in their conviction that Usherette (Ire) (Shamardal) can win at the top level, Sunday's G1 Prix d'Ispahan at Chantilly could be her moment to prove them right. After an eye-catching comeback effort when third in the May 1 G2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud, last year's G3 Dahlia S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. scorer enters this test with a lot of boxes ticked. Another who is yet to collect in the most elite company is His Highness The Aga Khan's Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), but he showed when a strong-closing second to Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Ganay on the same Mayday Saint-Cloud card as Usherette that his time could be coming around. Previously having won the G3 Dubai Millennium S. over 10 furlongs at Meydan Feb. 16 and finished fourth in the Mar. 25 G1 Dubai Turf over nine furlongs, the son of Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) will test Godolphin's mare. Al Shaqab Racing's Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was a neck second to Cloth of Stars in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt over a mile and a quarter Apr. 9 and is another who does not need to improve much to gain group 1 glory. His six-length success in the G2 Prix Hocquart over 10 furlongs at Deauville last May represents his best piece of winning form and it is notable that he was only 9-2 while stablemate Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was 20-1 for the G1 Prix du Jockey Club here last June only to disappoint in eighth.
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