Corine Barande-Barbe is confident of a big show from Cirrus Des Aigles when he makes his sixth successive appearance in the Qatar Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Saturday.
The evergreen nine-year-old has landed this Group Two prize three times - in 2010, 2012 and 2013 - and was runner-up in 2011 before being relegated from first to fifth place 12 months ago.
This 10-furlong race has had to be his target as he is not allowed to run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe due to being a gelding.
That has not stopped him from competing against the best throughout his career - he even ran the mighty Frankel to a length-and-three-quarters in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot in 2012.
Although he was last of seven behind Golden Horn in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, Barande-Barbe was satisfied with the run which was his first since May.
"He's very well. I think he needed the race and the trip to Ireland was not so easy first after time out after more than three months," said the Chantilly-based trainer.
"He came back from Ireland and worked well last week and in a little work this week.
"I think he has a very good chance and will probably win.
"He knows the track, he loves it there and in that race, so everything is OK."
Charlie Appleby is happy to take on Cirrus Des Aigles with French Navy, who is set to retire at the end of the campaign.
The seven-year-old entire is returning after a longer break than his rival had before Ireland as he has not raced since winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket in mid-April.
"He's had his usual break and he's had his usual little niggly problems through the year," said the Godolphin trainer.
"We have to give him time between his races, but he's in good order."
The other British raider is the Ralph Beckett-trained Air Pilot, who has had just the two starts this term.
After finishing third a close third to Maverick Wave in the Huxley Stakes at Chester on his reappearance in May, the six-year-old took the Group Three Hermitage Medical Clinic International Stakes at the Curragh three months ago.
Miss France attempts to get back to winning ways in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein on her second start since returning from injury.
She went down by a short neck to Sonnerie - who reopposes - at Longchamp last month but had been sidelined since finishing runner-up to Integral in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last October.
Her trainer Andre Fabre was pleased to get that run into her ahead of this race.
"Although she was beaten, I was quite pleased with Miss France last time as she had been off for almost a year with a splint injury," he said.
"It is not easy to get horses race fit at home and she ran well."
The sole British entry in the Group Two over a mile is John Gosden's Deauville Group Three winner Johnny Barnes.
Jane Chapple-Hyam fears Vazirabad from the Alain de Royer-Dupre stable as The Twisler takes a big hike in class in the Qatar Prix Chaudenay.
Her progressive three-year-old stayer stepped up to beat older horses in the Listed March Stakes at Goodwood five weeks ago and is back among his own age group, albeit at a higher level.
"He's been excellent since his last run, straightforward and no problems," said Chapple-Hyam.
"He's stepping up in class a lot, but in the March Stakes it was against older horses whereas on Saturday he's back in his own age group.
"I think the Royer-Dupre horse will be very hard to catch, but you don't know until you run against them.
"He's improving all the time, so we'll give it a go."
Martlet takes the big step into Group Two company when she lines up for the Qatar Prix de Royallieu.
The Gosden-trained filly showed she was going the right way when winning the Listed Galtres Stakes at York in August and will have to see off seven fillies and mares in this tough test over an extended mile and a half.
Irish trainer Pat Fahy sends Ballybacka Queen over from his County Carlow base in search of that all-important black type, with hopes high the four-year-old can give a good account.
"The ground's drying out and they say it will be good. It's not ideal, but she's won on good to firm. She's over there and seems happy," said Fahy.
"We're not going on her bare form. She pulled a front shoe off after going a furlong at Haydock and she was lame after the race.
"We went to Galway after a break and came in season at the races, so she ran well there, too, considering.
"We think she has a lot more to give."
