Leading owner the Aga Khan holds a strong hand in the Prix de Diane, the French Oaks, at Chantilly on Sunday.
Three fillies will run in the famous colours with Sagawara appearing to hold the strongest claims having already won a Group One in the Prix Saint-Alary.
Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, she will be joined by stablemate Dalkala, unbeaten in all her three starts to date.
The third member in the green silks is Jean-Claude Rouget’s Valyra, to be ridden by Johnny Murtagh.
Melbourne Cup winning jockey Christophe Lemaire is retained by the owner in France and had the choice of all three, coming down on the side of Dalkala.
“Christophe had the choice of all three runners, not just my two,” Royer-Dupre said.
“She was very impressive the last day at Saint-Cloud in a Group Three but I’m a little bit worried about the ground.
“It may be a little soft for her.
“Sagawara will be OK on the ground, she has had two runs on soft ground and coped with it.”
Aidan O’Brien has two runners with Joseph O’Brien riding Kissed, a late scratching from the Epsom version due to firm ground.
She will be joined by Up, ridden by Ryan Moore.
Owner Derrick Smith, part of the Coolmore triumvirate, will also see his silks carried by Andre Fabre’s Petite Noblesse.
However, they will all have to be on the top of their game to beat Elie Lellouche’s Beauty Parlour.
Unbeaten in four starts, the daughter of Japanese superstar Deep Impact won the French 1000 Guineas in the style of a top-class animal.
