Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Group 1) and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Group 1)

Aidan O’Brien targets both French Guineas on Sunday.

First up is the colts version, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Ryan Moore rides Henri Matisse, Christophe Soumillon takes the mount on Camille Pissarro, and Sean Levey is aboard Serengeti, who’ll most likely provide pacemaking duties.

Henri Matisse at the Curragh for the G1 National Stakes

Both Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro are Group 1 winners; the latter took the Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day over 7f on soft ground under Christophe with the former under Ryan back in fifth, beaten 2¾L. Henri Matisse then went to Del Mar, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf over 1m on fast ground where Godolphin’s Aomori City was ¾L back in third.

Aomori City at the Curragh for the G1 National Stakes

Also travelling from Ireland is Hotazhell from the Jessica Harrington yard, the mount of Shane Foley. He took the G2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh over 1m beating Tennessee Stud ¾L who went on to win the G1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud. Hotazhell stepped into Group 1 company in the Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster over 1m on soft, where he had a nose to spare over Delacroix.

Hotazhell winning the G2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh

Juddmonte’s Jonquil trained by Andrew Balding, the mount of Oisin Murphy, was an impressive winner of the Greenham, beating Rashabar 1½L, who’d finished in the same runner-up berth in the Jean-Luc Lagardere behind Camille Pisarro. Juddmonte also run John and Thady Gosden’s Detain who, under the new riding arrangements, will be ridden by the best available, Colin Keane.

Best of the home team is Ridari. In the Aga Khan colours, he’ll be ridden by Mickael Barzalona, he took the Prix de Fontainebleau here over 1m as a prep for this.

The ground is forecast to be good in Paris today.

That should bring out the best in both Henri Matisse and Aomori City. Hotazhell won’t be far away and Jonquil should be in the mix too. Preference is for Hotazhell, if he can hit the front, he’ll be hard to pass.

In the Fillies’ version, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Ballydoyle send four. Ryan Moore rides Exactly with Colin Keane on Bedtime Story, Sean Levey is on Heavens Gate and William Buick partners Merrily.

Zarigana will lead a strong home defence, having come up a nose short in the Prix Marcel Boussac last year; however, if Bedtime Story has learnt to relax, she can produce a turn of foot that could trouble the favourite. Her win in the Chesham last year was purely scintillating.