Prix du Gros-Chene

Europe's Derby circuit heads from Epsom to Chantilly in the space of 24 hours, with Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club offering a different type of test to its English counterpart without compromising on the degree of challenge. Run right-handed over 10 1/2 furlongs, with the draw all-important heading straight to the first turn, the €1.5 million prize is on its own as a unique "Derby" experience. Since the distance was shortened--controversially to some--from the traditional mile and a half in 2005, a trio of colts have completed a...

   Ahead of the following day's French Guineas', Deauville offers a tantalising warm-up on Sunday when it hosts the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly and G2 Prix du Gros-Chene. In the former contest, kept to its traditional time slot but re-routed to Normandy, the Wertheimers' Ziyad (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) returns to the scene of his career-best success in last year's G2 Grand Prix de Deauville. Runner-up in this last 12 months ago as well as the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the homebred was waylaid on his trip...