Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly provides Europe's final opportunity for sophomores to tackle contemporaries at the one-mile trip and nine go postward for the honour. Leading the domestic team's hopefuls is Al Shaqab Racing's Zelzal (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who registered wide-margin scores on the synthetic surfaces at Deauville Mar. 4 and here Apr. 6, but floundered when pitched into the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Deaville on turf debut. Recovering from an 11th there, he rebounded with gusto and was impressive when annexing the June 11 G3 Prix Paul de Moussac, over the same strip he encounters today, last time. “He was disappointing in the French Guineas and didn't run his race for whatever reason, then won very impressively last time,” Harry Herbert commented. “He heads there in really good form and it is very exciting.”
Nemoralia (More Than Ready) boasts a progressive profile and enjoyed a successful tour of duty Stateside where she ran second in Belmont's Oct. 3 GI Frizette S. and third in Keeneland's Oct. 30 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Jeremy Noseda trainee made an instant splash on European return and outclassed her rivals by six lengths and more in York's May 13 Listed Michael Seely Memorial, but had to give best to Zelzal's stablemate and Al Shaqab representative Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) in Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. last time June 17. She encounters the opposite sex for the first time in seven starts since a debut fifth at Newmarket last year. “Nemoralia is in great order and I'm really happy with her,” enthused Noseda. “I think the ground is going to be alright and the track will suit. To me, she is going there with a very legitimate chance.” Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic) seeks redemption having pre-empted Zelzal's 11th-of-13 Classic result with one of his own in Newmarket's Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas. He had previously entered the spotlight with a runner-up finish in the Nov. 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud and an impressive win in the Apr. 14 G3 Craven S. over the Rowley Mile. First Selection (Spa) (Diktat {GB}) has yet to prevail after four tries at the highest level. He bettered a seventh in the Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas by coping best with The Gurkha's wake when second in the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, but slipped to sixth in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. last time.
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