Daryzan heads France’s defence against a raiding party led by Aidan O’Brien’s Constitution River in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, 2100m) at Chantilly Racecourse on Sunday (31 May).

O’Brien is seeking to win his fifth European Classic from seven staged this season – he won the Chantilly showpiece 12 months ago with Camille Pissarro – and is also represented by Hawk Mountain and Montreal this weekend.

Constitution River, who starts from barrier 15 under Ryan Moore, is the pick of the Irish trainer’s challenge. The son of Wootton Bassett booked his ticket following a seven-length win in the Listed Dee Stakes (2064m) at Chester on 7 May.

O’Brien said: “We went to Chester with him looking to find out if he stayed a mile and a quarter and he saw it out very well there. This is obviously a big step up, but everything has gone very well in the build-up to the race. He looks to be a very classy horse.”

Eleven of the past 12 winners have drawn no higher than eight, although Saonois overcame stall 16 under the formerly Hong Kong-based Antoine Hamelin in 2012.

Christophe Soumillon rides Hawk Mountain with Wayne Lordan partnering Montreal. Hawk Mountain gained valuable experience when scoring at this track in May, while Montreal was beaten at Chantilly.

“Hawk Mountain has course experience which could prove crucial. Montreal is still a bit of a baby but he’s growing up with every run,” O’Brien said.

John & Thady Gosden supplemented Oxagon this week for €72,000 (approx. HK$656,000). Owned by Prince Faisal, the son of Frankel rises in trip after his sixth in the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m) to Bow Echo.

Ted Voute, Racing Advisor to Prince Faisal, said: “It’s a bit of a punt but the prince was keen to have a go and let’s hope he can be rewarded.”

Other overseas raiders include Hankelow, drawn in barrier one, and A Boy Named Susie, trained by O’Brien’s son Donnacha.

Francis-Henri Graffard is rolling the dice and pitching in debut winner Daryzan, believing that his colt’s regal pedigree as a half-brother to the Group 1-winning Daryz can help him overcome a lack of experience when he jumps from barrier 10.

Graffard said: “It’s a daring gamble because it’s never easy to approach this kind of race with very little experience. We had to delay his start to his career, but he has matured after his debut win. There is only one (Prix du) Jockey Club, and he has the pedigree and raw ability to take part.”

Mickael Barzalona has chosen to partner Daryzan rather than Dolmalan, who stretched his unbeaten record to three when denying Montreal by a head last time out.

Two other notable locally trained runners are three-time winner Pearled Majesty and Group 1-placed Komorebi. Pearled Majesty is part-owned by Criquette Head-maarek, the retired handler who trained Bering to win the 1986 French Derby.

“There will be no excuses on Sunday, not the ground, nor the draw, I won the Arc with the outside gate 22,” Head said.

“All the lights are green. We’ve always held him (Pearled Majesty) in high regard, to have a runner of this quality in a race like this – that’s why we get up early every morning,” said co-owner Mauricio Delcher Sanchez.

Andre Fabre-trained Komorebi aims to go one better after his last-start second in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1600m) in far more testing conditions than he will encounter here. Fabre has a big chance of landing the supporting G3 Prix du Gros-Chene World Pool by PMU (1000m) with Prince Faisal’s Sajir, a Group 1 winner at Deauville last year.

The G3 Prix du Gros-Chene World Pool by PMU (1000m) is carded as S2-1 and will be run at 9.53pm (Hong Kong time). The G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, 2100m) is carded as S2-2 and will be run at 10.30pm.

Photo: Scoop Dyga