Zarkava prepares for her classic tilts in the French 1000 Guineas and French Oaks at Longchamp on Sunday, needing to overcome six rivals and heavy ground in the Group 3, $126,000 Prix de la Grotte. The winner of the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac in October over the one-mile Grotte course, the undefeated Zarkava, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, is probably good enough to win in the mud. The Pascal Bary-trained Conference Call, 2 1/2 lengths second to Zarkava in the Marcel Boussac, and Group 3 runners-up Gipson Dessert and Mousse au Chocolat could challenge. Hello Morning, second to the highly regarded Thewayyouare in the Criterium International last fall, heads the Group 3, $126,000 Prix de Fontainebleau, but the preference is for the undefeated Freddy Head-trained Tamayuz. Aidan O'Brien will saddle One Great Cat, a Storm Cat colt who was third in a pair of British Group 2's last summer. The Group 3, $126,000 Prix la Force features the return of last year's Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up, Achill Island. He should revel in the off going and defeat Group 3 Prix de Conde winner High Rock and the mud-loving Mess Around.