Group 1 Winner Rayif Headlines Prix Jacques Le Marois

Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) winner Rayif (IRE) is among the potential stars on target for the Aug. 16 Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville, after 10 horses remain among the entries through Aug. 14. While the race suffered a major blow Aug. 11 with the news of Bow Echo (IRE)'s injury and retirement, there is no shortage of talent bidding to land one of Europe's most prestigious prizes at a mile. Bow Echo's owners could still have a big say in matters with the Karl Burke-trained Zeus Olympios (GB), while Aidan O'Brien will sends Precise (IRE). Thesecretadversary (IRE) remains on course to attempt a Deauville group 1 double, following his success over 7 furlongs in the Prix Jean Prat (G1). Trainer Fozzy Stack will be attempting to emulate his countryman Ken Condon, who won the Marois in 2019 with Romanised (IRE) who stepped up to a mile after taking the Minstrel Stakes (G2) at the Curragh over 7 furlongs. The William Haggas-trained More Thunder (IRE) adds further British interest, while Sixpence (JPN) and Strauss (JPN) represent Japan. As a 2-year-old, Rayif won on the same day as the Jacques Le Marois last season and in the run-up to Sunday's race he has pleased the Aga Khan Studs team and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who sent out Samangan (IRE) to land the Aug. 9 Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1). Racing manager Nemone Routh said: "He worked well on Tuesday, Francis and Mickael (Barzalona, jockey) were both happy with him and all being well, he will run on Sunday." Rayif surprised connections with his ability to handle testing conditions in the French Guineas, which Graffard was forced to head to without the aid of a prep run, while the Sea The Moon (GER) colt missed a clash with Bow Echo in the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) after spiking a mild fever just before he was scheduled to travel to Ascot. He was subsequently rerouted to the Prix Jean Prat, where he finished behind Thesecretadversary and stablemate Samangan when a never-nearer fifth. "The ground was quite fast when he won on Marois day last year and we've always thought he was better on good fast ground," Routh said. "He didn't run a great race last time out in the Jean Prat, but the jockeys said they didn't go very fast and Rayif wasn't up with the pace. He was dropping down in trip and it didn't happen. "But we've run and won over the track before. He had a bit of an interrupted prep for the Poule d'Essai and then he got rerouted to the Jean Prat. At least this time he's going into the race we want to run in with a good preparation, having not had the ideal season for lots of little niggling reasons."