Menuisier aiming high with Ottilien

Filly will step up in class on Arc weekend.

Ottilien looks likely to have her passport stamped once again following her victory at Saint-Cloud last Friday, with handler David Menuisier highlighting a step up in trip for the Prix de Royallieu as her next port of call.

Saint-Cloud has proved something of a happy hunting ground for the lightly-raced filly and having struck at the Paris venue as a two-year-old, she made a fine return from a 112-day absence, making all to claim Listed honours in the Prix Turenne.

Not only will she now put her stamina to the test over 14 furlongs, but will also make the leap into Group One company at ParisLongchamp on the Saturday of Arc weekend.

“She did it well (at Saint-Cloud), especially having not raced for three and a half months,” said Menuisier.

“We were delighted and there should be more to come as she wasn’t fully race fit. It was a very good outcome.

“I think she is likely to go for the Prix de Royallieu at the Arc meeting, the Group One over one-mile-six.”

On whether the filly will relish the extra two furlongs he added: “I don’t know, that is the question mark.

“She is a one-paced filly who goes well on soft and this meeting is often run on soft ground, so that should suit. Whether she will stay one-mile-six or not is hard to answer until you try. We feel she will. Obviously she needs to up her game for a race like this, but I don’t think there is much to lose by trying anyway.”

The Frenchman also provided an update on the prolific Caius Chorister, who was last seen finishing sixth in the 14-furlong Prix Joubert at ParisLongchamp.

The daughter of Golden Horn has been something of a revelation this season, first scoring off a mark of 53 at Yarmouth in May, which kick-started a five-race winning streak that only ended when bumping into the talented Soulcombe in the Melrose at York.

She is now rated 99 and having not been disgraced in her first run in Listed company, only beaten two lengths, she is set for one final outing this term.

“She found the trip a bit too far on softer ground,” said Menuisier.

“So, we will probably bring her back to one-mile-four and she will probably run in either the Old Rowley Cup, the big handicap at Newmarket, or she might go for a black-type race, maybe somewhere abroad in October, maybe Italy or elsewhere. It’s still undecided, but it will probably be her last run before next year.”

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