The China Mail - Prix de Diane set for war of the Roses

Blue Rose Cen if successful would join Allez France (1973), Zarkava (2008) and Divine Proportions (2005) in winning the Prix Marcel Boussac, the Prix de Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) and the Diane.

Her trainer Christophe Head hails from one of the most famous French racing families -- his aunt Criquette Head-Maarek's last Diane winner Treve in 2013 went on to win Europe's most prestigious race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe twice.

Both Allez France (1974) and Zarkava (2008) also won the Arc.

Head, whose father Freddy never won it as a trainer but was the victorious jockey on four occasions, has seen the ups and downs of racing from an early age so he is not looking that far ahead.

"She has recovered well after her win in the Pouliches. I think she is in prime form," said the 36-year-old handler, who has been a trainer in his own right since 2018.

"I'm crossing my fingers that everything goes well in terms of the longer trip (2100 metres compared to the 1600 of the Pouliches)."

Blue Rose Cen -- whose jockey Aurelien Lemaitre tasted classic success like Head for the first time in the Pouliches -- is one of two runners for the stable.

Head also saddles Wise Girl for Blue Rose Cen's Spain-based owners Yeguada Cenurion -- whose patriarch Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals's life reads like a Boys Own story.

The 75-year-old was born in Cuba to Spanish parents who left for Miami after Fidel Castro came to power -- he went on to fight for his adopted country in the Vietnam War being decorated for bravery and attaining the rank of captain.

He moved to Spain and went on to make his fortune first in pizzas -- enabling him to create the Centurion stud farm -- and then ventured into telecommunications before returning to the pizza business.

- 'Very businesslike' -

The septuagenarian's dream of adding the Diane to his laurels could be dashed, though, by France-based Spanish trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias -- who is married to Head's first cousin Patricia -- and his star Jannah Rose.

Laffon-Parias has an Arc to his credit -- Solemia in 2012 -- but the Diane is one prize to have eluded him with Nadia runner-up to the formidable Aquarelliste in 2001.

"I have come close before but time is passing and I must win it before things become more complicated!" he said.

"I remain confident I will eventually win it and I hope that day is close at hand."

Jannah Rose is not the only unbeaten runner in the 15 strong field -- French training icon Andre Fabre's Pensee du Jour has been most impressive in her three victories.

Pensee du Jour -- who will be ridden by crack Kazakh jockey and three-time German champion Bauyrzhan Murzabayev -- would be 77-year-old Fabre's fifth Diane winner but first since Golden Lilac in 2011.

"She's won nicely and in a progressive way but she's had to make the running in all her races and it would be very nice if she could take a lead and not have to do all the work on the front end," said Anthony Stroud, racing manager to the owners Ballymore Thoroughbreds.

English and Irish-trained runners have won four of the past five editions including the last three and according to the bookies should make it four in a row with favourite Running Lion.

Trained by last year's Diane winning duet of John and son Thady Gosden she was withdrawn from the English Oaks when she got upset in the stalls.

"She's in great form and we're really happy with her," John Gosden told Sky Sports.

"She's a tough filly and she needs to be from stall 12 (outside draw).

"She's very business-like and has shown nothing but a great mental attitude to her racing."

X.Gu--ThChM