French Navy & Fractional Bid For Dollar

Time/Date - 16.15hrs local time/Saturday, October 3, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Longchamp/France
Surface/Distance - Turf/1m 1f 165y

French Navy and Fractional provide Godolphin with a strong challenge in the Group Two Qatar Prix Dollar over just shy of 10 furlongs at Longchamp, France on Saturday, October 3.

French Navy (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) is going for a fifth consecutive victory, with the seven-year-old making his first start since a comfortably success when beating Group One runner-up Arod in the nine-furlong Group Three Weatherbys General Stud Book Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket on April 16.

The son of Shamardal also captured two Listed races in 2014, over a mile at Newmarket and 10 furlongs at Goodwood, as well as gaining an impressive win in the Group Three Investec Diomed Stakes over an extended mile at Epsom Downs.

Six-year-old Fractional (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona) won the Qatar Prix Dollar in 2014 when he was awarded the race after going down by a head to Cirrus Des Aigles.

He has made five appearances so far this year, headed by a length success in the mile Group Three Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte on July 5, and was fifth on his latest start in the 10-furlong Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club at Deauville on August 15.

Charlie Appleby said: "French Navy is in great nick and the ground conditions will suit him on Saturday. He has won on good to firm in the past but prefers a little give underneath.

"We gave him the summer off and we have purposely aimed him at this race. I couldn't be any happier with his preparation.

"He is off to stand as a stallion at the end of the season and hopefully he can go out in a blaze of glory."

Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin said: "Fractional was in better form coming into this race last year and needs to improve on a disappointing run last time out."

French Navy and Fractional face six rivals including multiple Group One winner Cirrus Des Aigles and Irish Group Three victor Air Pilot.

Besides Fractional, Godolphin has also won the Prix Dollar with Alhaarth (1997) and Slickly (2000).