Excelebration and Farhh are set to clash in Sunday’s Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.
The pair would both have considerably more Group One victories to their name if it were not for the existence of Frankel, but for once Sir Henry Cecil’s champion is not among the field.
Excelebration won the race last year when with Marco Botti, and after a couple more defeats to Frankel, new trainer Aidan O’Brien saddled him to land a very competitive Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.
Godolphin’s Farhh, no match for Frankel at Goodwood and York, drops back to a mile (1600m) again but there is further stiff competition among the eight horses confirmed for the weekend.
Stunning sprinter Moonlight Cloud, second to Black Caviar at Royal Ascot, has her second try at the distance, with Brian Meehan’s Most Improved and Alan McCabe’s Caspar Netscher could also make the trip to France.
The Group One Prix Vermeille on the same afternoon is looking like a potential thriller with three of the first four in the Irish Oaks – Great Heavens, Was and Princess Highway – all set to be involved.
Last year’s winner, Galikova, is also in the 15-strong field for Freddie Head along with a number of other interesting French fillies.
A fantastic card also features the two trials for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Andre Fabre’s Meandre, only sixth in last year’s Arc but a winner of two Group Ones already this season, looks the star turn in the Prix Foy, but faces an interesting rival in the Japanese raider Orfevre.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Fiorente is among the eight horses going forward along with O’Brien pair Treasure Beach and Robin Hood, plus the ex-O’Brien and now Botti runner Joshua Tree, who was beaten by Fiorente at Newmarket in July.
