Rayif, with the ultimate chance to confirm his elite class in the Jacques Le Marois

The winner of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1) will be one of the star attractions this Sunday at Deauville, where a field of 10 contenders has been final-entered for the signature mile test

DEAUVILLE, France—The absence of Bow Echo, ruled out earlier this week following an injury, stripped the Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) of one of its most anticipated stars. Nevertheless, this Sunday’s historic feature at Deauvilleretains tremendous appeal, featuring a 10-horse lineup that presents a fascinating clash of generations and international form.

Headlining the contenders is Rayif, winner of this season’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1), who aims to reassert the elite form that established him among the premier European colts of his generation.

The Aga Khan Studs homebred arrives off a far more conventional preparation than the disrupted build-ups that preceded his recent major assignments—a factor bringing substantial confidence to trainer Francis-Henri Graffardand his team.

"He worked well on Tuesday. Francis and Mickaël Barzalona were very happy with him, and provided everything stays on track, he will run on Sunday," confirmed Nemone Routh, racing manager for the Aga Khan operation.

Rayif is no stranger to Deauville, having recorded a course victory on this very same Jacques Le Marois card in 2025 as a juvenile.

By Sea The Moon, he surprised even his own connections when capturing the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1) over testing ground, as the prevailing sentiment had always been that his best physical performances would come over firmer surfaces.

That classic triumph carried added weight given that Graffard was forced to run him first-up in the classic without the benefit of a prep race.

A trip to Royal Ascot for a showdown with Bow Echo in the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) was subsequently planned, but a late spike in temperature just prior to shipping forced a change of course.

He ultimately made his return in the Prix Jean Prat (G1) over seven furlongs, finishing fifth behind Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica) and stablemate Samangan (Siyouni)—the latter coming off a impressive victory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1).

Routh believes the circumstances of that contest were far from ideal.

"The ground was quite firm when he won here last year, and we’ve always felt he’s better on good, fast ground. He didn't run particularly well in the Jean Prat, but the jockeys felt they didn't go very fast and Rayif was left adrift off the pace. Furthermore, he was dropping down in trip, and things simply didn't fall his way," she explained.

The setup now appears considerably more favorable. Rayif returns to the mile—a distance that suits him far better—and arrives without the setbacks that hampered his plans for much of the campaign.

"We’ve already run and won over this course. He had an interrupted preparation heading into the Poule d'Essai and then had to be redirected toward the Jean Prat. At least this time he approaches the race we genuinely want to run in off a solid build-up, following a season hampered by small niggles," Routh added.

Naturally, the Jacques Le Marois will be anything but a walkover.

Thesecretadversary seeks to complete a G1 summer double at Deauville after taking the Jean Prat. For trainer Fozzy Stack, the target offers an opportunity to emulate fellow Irishman Ken Condon, who captured the Marois in 2019 with Romanised (Holy Roman Emperor).

Representing Ireland, Precise (Starspangledbanner) ships in for Aidan O’Brien, while a potent British team includes Zeus Olympios (Night of Thunder)—trained by Karl Burke for the same connections as Bow Echo—and More Thunder (Night of Thunder), sent out by William Haggas.

Adding international flair is a strong Japanese contingent featuring Sixpence (Kizuna) and Strauss (Maurice), two high-profile invaders enhancing the global standing of the event.

For Graffard, the weekend presents an opportunity to extend an exceptional run at Deauville, coming just seven days after celebrating G1 success with Samangan in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1).

With Bow Echo sidelined, the Jacques Le Marois has been blown wide open.

For Rayif, it represents the ideal platform to showcase his true caliber. A G1 classic winner with proven course form, he returns to his preferred distance with an uninterrupted preparation under his belt. Rayif now gets his chance to deliver the defining performance his early-season promise foretold.