Meehan team have faith in Esna despite wide draw

Connections of Esna are confident the Newbury scorer can defy being drawn widest of all when she bids for Prix de Diane glory at Chantilly on Sunday.

Aidan O’Brien’s Constitution River has already shown recently the far flank is no barrier to Classic glory when coming from stall 15 of 16 in the Prix du Jockey Club and with Esna’s position deemed less severe with only 11 fillies in the mix, the Brian Meehan team cross the Channel with confidence.

Meehan’s bloodstock consultant and key member of the Manton team, Sam Sangster said: “I think there is going to be a fair bit of pace in the race so hopefully the draw doesn’t affect us too much.

“We can drop in and she is such a switched off filly I think wherever you put her in the race she would be comfortable.

“It was a bit more severe for Constitution River in the Prix du Jockey Club, so this is a different ball game with only 11 and you are talking a couple of lengths difference there.

“Drawn 11 of 11 with pace wouldn’t worry us too much and we’ve got James Doyle aboard who is a very experienced rider who has been around Chantilly many many times. We’re not looking at it as a negative.”

Esna will head to Chantilly on the back of a career best when scooping Listed honours at Newbury last month and having proved 10 furlongs is very much to her liking, she will take on the unbeaten French Guineas heroine Diamond Necklace with two and a quarter lengths to find from their meeting last October in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Sangster added: “The mile and a quarter is definitely a trip she took to very well at Newbury and she has come out of that race really well. She’s worked well this week and we head to Chantilly really confident of getting involved.

“You would always be mindful you are taking on a dual Group One winner but we know we are going there with a filly who is improving with every start.”

Diamond Necklace will break from stall three with David Menuisier’s Inis Mor in four. Karl Burke’s Evolutionist, second to True Love in the 1000 Guineas, is in stall five with Ed Walker’s promising Musidora runner-up Felicitas in seven.

William Haggas’ lightly-raced Lilt will have to defy stall 10.