Kingman sets standard but select field capable of pushing champion

Kingman takes another step towards being crowned the undisputed champion miler in Europe when he makes his first visit to France for the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard – Jacques le Marois at Deauville tomorrow

John Gosden’s brilliant colt showed a blistering turn of foot to dispense with the classy Toronado in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood less than three weeks ago. He is also the winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes on his previous two starts,

Kingman faces another big test in the summer showpiece at the Normandy venue. Connections will check on going conditions, but the colt is set to be star of the show.

"We're going to look at the ground, but provided it's all right he'll run," said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah.

Kingman's big-race partner James Doyle is set to ride the son of Invincible Spirit.

The Richard Hannon team turn to Olympic Glory in another attempt to lower the colours of Kingman and he is likely to have the soft ground he loves as he goes for a fourth win at top level. Winner of the Lockinge Stakes in the spring, Hannon's charge has been kept for this race since finishing fourth to Cirrus Des Aigles in the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp at the end of May.

"He's all set and ready to roll. Richard reports him to be in very good form," said Harry Herbert racing manager for owners Al Shaqab Racing. "It's soft ground here and he handles that well. A straight mile is his thing, as we've seen.

“Kingman will be a mighty tough nut to crack. We shouldn’t be frightened of one horse, but any sane person would be frightened of Kingman. The horse is in good shape and this has been his target for an awful long time.”

Coronation Stakes heroine Rizeena flies the flag for three-year-old fillies on the back of a good second to Integral in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting.

"She handled soft ground in the Falmouth when she was second to Integral so that wouldn't be a worry," said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum.

“However, we are taking on a champion. You should never be afraid of one horse is the saying, but he is the one!

He is without doubt the best miler in Europe for me, but we’ll give it a go. Her last run put to bed the talk that she doesn’t act at Newmarket and against the older fillies I thought she ran as well as we could have hoped. She looks great, even though she’s been on the go all season, and I’m sure she’ll run her race,” said Raymond.

Only six were declared but the field has plenty of quality with the list completed by Andre Fabre's Prix Rothschild winner Esoterique, Freddy Head's Queen Anne Stakes third Anodin and Red Dubawi, who is now trained in Germany by Erika Mader.