WITH Royal Ascot just around the corner, it is understandably a quiet weekend quality-wise on both sides of the Irish Sea, but not in France, where the Prix de Diane (3.05) looks a red hot renewal at Chantilly on tomorrow.

The extended 10-furlong classic has gone for export to Britain or Ireland four times in the last five years and there is a very reasonable chance it will be five in six by 3.10pm on Sunday.

Running Lion, rerouted here after she bunged her Oaks participation by acting up in the stalls, is priced up as the main danger for the visitors, vying for favouritism with the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Blue Rose Cen.

The daughter of Roaring Lion went three from three on all-weather surfaces before running out an impressive winner of the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in May. Oisín Murphy, who cut a most frustrated figure following her withdrawal before the Oaks, was speaking to The Irish Field for The Big Interview (pages 16-17) earlier this week and mused about the possible tactics in the race.

He said of the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly: “She’s in very good shape. I rode her on Saturday morning and I was delighted with her. It’s likely she’ll go off as one of the favourites.

“I have a lot of respect for the Blue Rose Cen. I think she’s very good and a natural front runner. I think they might employ those tactics again, but that is something we will look at closer to the race and make a plan when we see the draw (12). She is in really good form at home.”

The other British filly, Karl Burke’s Novakai, is a welcome participant as she will tie in the Oaks form, having finished second to Soul Sister in the Musidora, when admittedly well held. She will need to settle better but is a talented sort, having finished second to Commissioning in the Fillies’ Mile on her final start at two.

Never Ending Story and Caroline Street represent the Irish. The former has a little to prove having finished fifth to Blue Rose Cen in the Pouliches, while the latter is perhaps more interesting given her unexposed profile.

She is a 20/1 shot given the nature of this contest but she was a taking winner of the 10-furlong Blue Wind Stakes on her comeback and her trainer Joseph O’Brien is bidding to emulate his brother Donnacha, who won this race in his first season as a trainer with Fancy Blue.

Speaking at Leopardstown on Thursday evening, O’Brien said: “Caroline Street is in good nick. She got a very good draw (two). It’s obviously a super hot race but she goes there with a chance.

“I thought her win at Naas was a very good performance. She sat back and hit the line really well. We were either going to go for the Diane or the Pretty Polly, but decided on this race fairly quickly so it has been the plan since then.”

Blue Rose Cen will attempt to become only the fourth filly to complete the Group 1 treble of winning the Prix Marcel Boussac at two, followed by the Pouliches and then Diane. There have been five Pouliches-Diane winners since 2005.

Another home hope Jannah Rose, trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, was bred in Tipperary by John Hayes. She is a full sister to Hayes’ excellent servant Creggs Pipes, and sold for €650,000 at the Orby Sale.