Experienced Fillies May Have Marcel Boussac Advantage

Recent runnings of the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac—Criterium des Pouliches (G1) for juvenile fillies have gone to contenders with more experience than most of their rivals, and those who fit that profile this year have, for the most part, been drawn where they need to be.

Five of the last seven winners had run at least three times and, interestingly, four of the inside five stalls are occupied by horses with five runs behind them.

Aidan O'Brien has won this race four times and Never Ending Story , a Leopardstown group 3 winner in July, has drawn stall 2 for her sixth start in the mile, Oct. 2 race at ParisLongchamp.

She has been below form in two runs since that career-best effort, but she was hampered when fourth in the Sept. 11 Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) last time and, as a daughter of Dubawi , this new distance should extract more from her.

"We always thought this race would suit her and we've had it in our minds for her for a while," O'Brien said. "She's in good form and seems to have come out of the Moyglare in good shape."

She will need to reverse the placings of the Prix du Calvados (G2) with Wed , however, as Maurizio Guarnieri's filly was mightily impressive in taking that Aug. 20 prize while Never Ending Story ran third.

Wed comfortably produced the best Racing Post Rating in this field with that performance, but drawing the widest stall is a big negative. For all that, she does match the recent experience trend.

"It was always the plan to supplement," said Guarnieri. "I'm not worried about the extra trip; she handled a straight 1,400 meters (seven furlongs) fine. Everything has gone fine in her preparation. The only question mark is the ground as she has never even worked in heavy ground.

Both those fillies need to prove their stamina, something the twice-raced Kelina does not have to do.

Carlos Laffon-Parias's daughter of Frankel  maintained her unbeaten record with a comfortable win in a Chantilly conditions race last month, a run that also confirmed her liking for soft ground.

"It wasn't deliberate that she hasn't run at group level yet; it's just that I had another very good filly for the Aumale (G3), who unfortunately came back lame," Laffon-Parias said. "The good thing is that she won in soft ground at Chantilly, although if it gets heavy that will be an unknown. She might lack a tiny bit of experience."

There is just one course-and-distance winner in the field, the Christopher Head-trained group 3 winner Blue Rose Cen , who could easily end up with a soft lead from stall 5.

"She is a very tough filly," Head remarked. "She is not very big, but she really has a presence and wants to fight. She stays a mile well and she will probably end up over 2,000 meters (1 1/4 miles) next year. I'm really happy with her, and she has a nice turn of foot, so the Boussac is the race for her."

There are plenty of British and Irish challengers, including Breege , placed in two group 3 events in her recent starts, but the final mention goes to 49th Renate und Albrecht Woeste - Zukunfts-Rennen (G3) winner Habana , who should relish an extra furlong after excelling at seven furlongs.

"She is really well and still looks great," trainer Andreas Wohler said of the latter. "She is in great shape and, although it's a tough race with a different level of competition, she deserves to take her chance."

Sunday's race is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland.