After Narkez challenges for the bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, Andre Fabre anticipates having a better sense of how far he can go this season.
After winning his third and last juvenile start at Clairefontaine in the autumn, the Siyouni colt continued his winning ways when he made a strong comeback in March at Saint-Cloud.
In 2013, Fabre saddled Intello, the winner of the French Derby, to win the Feilden Stakes and if Narkez can pass Wednesday's Listed test on the Rowley Mile, he may be able to challenge for a chance in the Chantilly Classic.
“The distance should suit him with the extra furlong (nine furlongs) as he is from a family of middle-distance horses, and he’s in good shape,” added the trainer. “I want to see how he does it because he won easily last time, beating not much, so this will be a good experience for him. If he does well, he’s more of a mile-and-a-quarter horse, so the Prix du Jockey Club would be a long-term target for him, but I’ll be wiser after the race.”
Gasper De Lemos, the Curragh maiden winner and partner of Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, makes his first appearance since finishing second in the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket in October, behind Charlie Appleby's possible Derby contender Arabian Crown.
“We are happy with him coming into this race but he will be suited by further down the line and I am always wary of an Andre Fabre horse, and his Narkez won very well on his return. And there are clearly others with claims, too,” Moore said.