Natagora taking on older boys

Natagora will be pitted against older colts for the first time Sunday when she runs on just two weeks' notice in the $888,000 Prix Jacques le Marois, the Group 1 mile that serves as the centerpiece of Deauville's August meeting.

Third to Goldikova and Darjina on Aug. 3 versus her own sex over the course and distance in the Group 1 Prix d'Astarte, Natagora was originally intended to meet those two plus Henrythenavigator in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 7. Her connections changed their minds three times this week about sending her in the Marois, deciding only on Friday to run. Trainer Pascal Bary feels she has recovered quickly from her recent exertions, even though he admits that Natagora, the 1000 Guineas winner, dislikes Deauville, where she is 0 for 2 lifetime.

Natagora will have a new rider Sunday in Yutaka Take, who is taking his annual August break from Japan to ride at Deauville. Her regular rider, Christophe Lemaire, will take the reins on the Bary-trained Arcadia's Angle, the Joe Orseno/Jerry Bailey-bred winner of the one-mile Group 3 Prix Paul Moussac in June who was only 14th of 16 in the one-mile Group 1 Prix Jean Prat last time.

Tamayuz beat Arcadia's Angle by 18 1/2 lengths that day and is the likely Jacques le Marois favorite. A Freddy Head-trained son of Nayef, Tamayuz beat the highly regarded Raven's Pass by 1 1/2 lengths in the Jean Prat and retains the services of Davy Bonilla. Racinger, winner of last month's one-mile Group 3 Prix Messidor, also will be saddled by Head, who is seeking his fifth Group 1 victory since July 11.

Sageburg sprung an 11-1 surprise when defeating Darjina in the 1 1/8-mile Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on May 18, and was just 1 3/4 lengths sixth in the one-mile Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

The lone British runner, the Richard Hannon-trained Major Cadeaux, is a Group 2 winner going a mile this year and is coming off a 3 1/2-length third behind Henrythenavigator, Europe's leading miler, in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes.

* Zulu Chief, a 20-length maiden winner for Aidan O'Brien going 1 1/4 miles at Naas on July 9, goes in the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes at the same distance at Leopardstown on Sunday. This race and two others have been rescheduled from last Sunday's washed-out card at the Curragh. Zulu Chief will be challenged by stablemate King of Rome, the recent winner of the Group 3 Meld Stakes who is the choice of O'Brien's first-string rider, Johnny Murtagh.

In the seven-furlong Group 2 Debutante Stakes for juvenile fillies, Royal Ascot's Group 3 Albany Stakes winner Cuis Ghaire attempts to get back on track for Jim Bolger after her second-place finish to Rip Van Winkle in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes.