Fabre eager to test Narkez potential at Newmarket

Feilden Stakes assignment following impressive Saint-Cloud return.

Andre Fabre expects to have a clearer idea of how far Narkez can go this season after he contests the bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket.

An impressive winner on his third and final juvenile start at Clairefontaine in the autumn, the Siyouni colt picked up where he left off with another dominant display on his Saint-Cloud comeback in March.

Fabre saddled subsequent French Derby hero Intello to win the Feilden Stakes in 2013 and Narkez could earn himself a shot at the Chantilly Classic if he can pass Wednesday’s Listed test on the Rowley Mile.

“The distance should suit him with the extra furlong (nine furlongs) as he is from a family of middle-distance horses, and obviously he’s in good shape,” said 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 winning at the Curragh
Gasper De Lemos winning at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore team up with Curragh maiden winner Gasper De Lemos, who makes his first appearance since filling the runner-up spot behind Charlie Appleby’s potential Derby candidate Arabian Crown in Newmarket’s Zetland Stakes in October.

“We had four in here at the five-day stage and we rely on Gasper De Lemos,” Moore told Betfair.

“After a promising debut, this Justify colt won his maiden in very good style at the Curragh before finishing second to what looked a smart horse in Arabian Crown in the Zetland here.

“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.”

Appleby is represented by El Cordobes, who switches to the turf for the first time after comfortably opening his account on his second all-weather start at Kempton in January.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: “I’ve been happy with El Cordobes going into this. Like a lot of runners at this time of year, we will be hoping to establish what kind of level we are looking at for the season ahead, but he has done well physically since winning in January.”

James Fanshawe’s Autumn Stakes third Ambiente Friendly and Richard Fahey’s Native American, last seen finishing sixth behind the Richard Hannon-trained Rosallion in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp, are also in the mix for what promises to be an informative contest.

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