CONNECTIONS of brilliant 1,000 Guineas winner Natagora have chosen to challenge the colts in Sunday's Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly rather than face Zarkava in the French Oaks - but with her regular rider Christophe Lemaire set to ride High Rock for his retaining trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, the grey will have a different jockey.
On Monday, Japanese star Yutaka Take's name was named by the Natagora teamas their prime target, but the Japanese Derby is also on Sunday and Patrick Barbe, racing manager to Natagora's owener Stefan Friborg, said that he would be unable to confirm a jockey for the filly until Wednesday or Thursday.
A field of 27 remained in the Jockey-Club on Tuesday, but among them are Dermot Weld's Casual Conquest, who could still be supplemented for the Vodafone Derby - subject to a racecourse gallop this week - and Godolphin's Ibn Khaldun, another possibility for Epsom.
Weld could run Famous Name instead, while Aidan O'Brien has the option of Achill Island or Sligo.
Andre Fabre relies on a classy trio of Prospect Wells, Democrate and Thewayyouare. Moynahan is declared to run in the Betfair Poker Heron Stakes at Sandown on Thursday, but has also been left in at Chantilly.
Paul Cole's colt finished an encouraging sixth on only his third career start in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and would be considered for the French Derby if the heavens open over Sandown.
Explaining the situation, Cole said: "His owner lives in Hong Kong and he is coming over to watch him run so if we got a lot of rain and Sandown got bad then we could re-route.
"It sounds a little strange, but if we did get very bad ground, at least we have an alternative while the owner is here.
"I was quite pleased with him last time and he has shown us at home that faster ground really suits him.
"I'm not sure what conditions will be like at Sandown, as it's difficult to sort things out with watering and dry and wet periods coming.
"If he were to run at Sandown and run satisfactorily, he'd probably then step up in trip and go for the mile-and-a-quarter Listed race (Hampton Court Stakes) at Royal Ascot."
