Golden Lilac out to make a mark at racing Prix de Diane

Prix de Diane is one of the most important events in the French horse racing calendar Golden Lilac can put her name alongisde such turf greats as Divine Proportions and Zarkava in landing the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) on Sunday in completing a 1000 Guineas/Oaks double .
The impressive winner of the 1000 Guineas at Longchamp last month faces only eight rivals but the field is a veritable who's who of France's top fillies which includes Galikova, a half-sister to the legendary Goldikova also trained by Freddie Head, and Wavering, who like Golden Lilac is also trained by master handler Andre Fabre.
Golden Lilac's German owner Baron Dietrich von Boetticher must scarcely believe his luck as only a year ago he was celebrating Lope de Vega's colts classic double in the French 2000 Guineas and French Derby.
However, the keen yachtsman - who has a large breeding operation in Germany but only has four horses in training - is confident that his filly has the ability to achieve even greater things this season.
"Why not reach for the stars after a win like that," said von Boetticher following her win in the Guineas.
Fabre, who ended his drought in the Epsom Derby in style last Saturday with Pour Moi, has never done the Guineas/Oaks double with the same horse, though, he has won both races in the same year in 2003 with Musical Chimes in the Guineas and Nebraska Tornado in the Oaks.
There is a good chance too that might come to pass in this edition as Wavering also comes into the race with a Group One win under her belt, the Prix Saint Alary at Longchamp also last month and perhaps crucially unlike Golden Lilac it was over the same distance as Sunday's race
She is due to be partnered by 19-year-old youngster Mickael Barzalona, who one is sure will have been instructed by 65-year-old Fabre not to repeat his exuberant celebrations before the line as he did on Pour Moi at Epsom.
Adding extra spice to the two Fabre hopes is that Maxime Guyon rides Golden Lilac and he will be keen to put one over Barzalona as only last year he was being hailed as the new young thing in terms of riding stars when he landed the Group One Prince of Wales's Stakes for Fabre at Royal Ascot.
Wavering, who edged one of Sunday's other runners Epic Love in the Alary, would also provide a welcome boost to the fortunes of Godolphin, who aside from Blue Bunting's surprise success in the English 1000 Guineas have had a woeful time of it this season.
Galikova represents an interesting challenge, though, the poor thing cannot but be a victim to being compared with her older half-sister Goldikova, who will be looking for her 14th Group One success at Royal Ascot next week.
Galikova, who will be aided by a pacemaker in Polemique, has won three of her four starts but her only defeat was in the Group One Marcel Boussac last October when she could finish only fifth.
Head, though, was pleased with her last serious piece of work this week.
"She went with two others and appears to have done well," Head said. "I hope she has kept her freshness."
Should there be a surprise from the rest of the field it could well come in the shape of the Aga Khan-owned Shareta.
Her canny trainer Alain de Royer Dupre has given her a light campaign thus far but she comes in with a win under her belt and a live chance of giving her handler the Oaks only a week after he won the Derby with Reliable Man.