French fillies formidable in 1000 Guineas

A pair of talented French fillies can dominate the 190th running of Sunday's 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket.

Six Perfections, trained for the Niarchos Family by Pascal Bary, and Intercontinental, trained by Andre Fabre for Khalid Abdullah, are the deserving favorites for the one-mile fillies classic, worth $515,000.

Six Perfections, Europe's champion juvenile filly last year, prepped with a victory in the listed Prix Imprudence on April 6, a performance that looks all the better as the runner-up, Campsie Fells, returned to win the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux last Sunday. The 5-2 choice in the 21-horse field, Six Perfections will be ridden by Thierry Thulliez, who will have to overcome a disadvantageous post 1 on the stands side of the straight Rowley Mile course.

Juddmonte Farm's worldwide operation will be well represented by the 7-2 Intercontinental. A full sister to Banks Hill, she was third by a length in the Grand Criterium last October behind 2000 Guineas favorite Hold That Tiger and recent Italian 2000 Guineas winner Le Vie dei Colori. A six-furlong allowance score at Maisons-Laffitte on April 18 sets up Intercontinental perfectly for what should be a winning effort under Christophe Soumillon.

Godolphin will run Mezzo Soprano and Gonfilia, the first two finishers in the UAE 1000 Guineas on dirt at Nad Al Sheba on March 13. Mezzo Soprano is the choice of Frankie Dettori, but she might be better suited by a longer distance.

Yesterday, another who will prefer something longer, and L'Ancresse will be saddled by Aidan O'Brien, but Casual Look, owned by America's ambassador to Great Britain, Will Farish, poses a bigger threat off her good second to the ill-fated Luvah Girl in the Rockfel Stakes last October. Khulood and Tante Rose, winners of the major 1000 Guineas preps, will both find the big event much tougher, while the morning work of the Michael Stoute-trained Russian Rhythm has been the subject of negative reviews of late.

* Friday at Newmarket, Warrsan followed his victory in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes at Newbury on April 12 with a repeat score in the 1 1/2-mile Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes. The 5-year-old Warrsan, sent off at 12-1, was a 1-1/2-length winner over Millenary for trainer Clive Brittain. Highest finished third with the 15-8 (1.87-1) favorite, Bandari, fourth. The winner's time was 2:35.48 on good to soft ground.