Two very different generations will take centre stage at Deauville on Sunday as the French summer season continues with the Group 1 Prix Morny and Group 1 Prix Jean et Louis Romanet.
The €350,000 Prix Morny will test some of Europe’s fastest two-year-olds over 1200m on the straight course, while the €400,000 Prix Jean et Louis Romanet brings the leading fillies and mares together over 2000m.
Both contests have regularly attracted strong international representation and Sunday’s races are again expected to feature leading contenders from France, Britain and Ireland.
The meeting also carries considerable importance beyond the immediate Group 1 prizes. The Prix Morny has historically provided an early indication of the following season’s Classic generation, while the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet is part of the Arc Races programme and offers its winner a wildcard into the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
A powerful performance at Newmarket has placed Senorita Bonita among the leading contenders for the Prix Morny.
Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the daughter of Starspangledbanner attracted attention before making her racecourse debut when purchased for 900,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale.
She has subsequently shown that the considerable investment may have been justified.
After finishing second behind Victorious in the Queen Mary Stakes over 1000m at Royal Ascot, Senorita Bonita stepped up to 1200m for the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
The additional distance brought out further improvement.
Ridden patiently by Oisin Murphy, she produced an impressive change of speed to defeat previously unbeaten Albany Stakes winner Libertango by half a length. The victory confirmed her ability over Sunday’s distance and established her as one of the leading juvenile fillies in Europe.
The form surrounding her has also continued to strengthen.
Victorious had defeated Senorita Bonita at Royal Ascot before encountering a setback, while Libertango entered their Newmarket meeting after beating subsequent Phoenix Stakes winner Sun Goddess in the Albany Stakes.
Those performances leave Senorita Bonita connected to several of the strongest juvenile form lines produced in Britain and Ireland this season.
The Crisford stable has already enjoyed success in the race, having prepared Vandeek to win the Prix Morny in 2023. That colt also progressed through the July Stakes before completing a Group 1 double in the Morny and Middle Park Stakes.
Connections are attempting to follow a similar path with their latest sprinting prospect.
Strong opposition is expected from the Aidan O’Brien stable, which has won the Prix Morny five times.
O’Brien’s most recent victories came through Blackbeard in 2022 and Whistlejacket in 2024, while his previous winners also include Johannesburg, Myboycharlie and The Wow Signal.
Richmond Stakes winner Man’s Best Friend and Coventry Stakes winner Great Barrier Reef have been under consideration for Sunday’s contest.
A return to France would represent another rapid rise for Man’s Best Friend, who made a significant impression at Glorious Goodwood.
After winning his maiden, the son of No Nay Never progressed immediately into Group 2 company and proved too strong for his rivals in the Richmond Stakes over 1200m.
His victory came on the same Goodwood card on which stablemate Diamond Necklace captured the Nassau Stakes, giving Ballydoyle two important wins with horses potentially heading towards Deauville.
Great Barrier Reef brings an unbeaten record and one of the strongest performances produced by a juvenile this season.
He stormed home to win the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot but was forced to miss the Phoenix Stakes after suffering from ringworm. O’Brien indicated that the colt required time to recover, leaving the stable to assess whether he or Man’s Best Friend was best suited to represent the yard in France.
Whichever option Ballydoyle selects, the stable is likely to provide the most serious challenge to Senorita Bonita.
The Prix Morny was first staged in 1865 and is the oldest Group 1 race conducted at Deauville. Run at speed down the straight course, it has been won by influential horses including Blushing Groom, Machado, Zafonic, Johannesburg, Dabirsim, No Nay Never and Lady Aurelia.
Last year’s edition went to Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun, who defeated Gstaad in a close finish before returning this season to win the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
That subsequent success underlined the race’s ability to identify horses capable of remaining at the top level beyond their juvenile campaigns.
The second Group 1 of the afternoon could have a major influence on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe market as unbeaten champion Diamond Necklace returns to France.
Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old has won each of her six appearances and arrives at Deauville after extending her Group 1 record in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.
The daughter of St Mark’s Basilica established herself among the leading juveniles in Europe last season before developing into the outstanding three-year-old filly of 2026.
Her Classic campaign began with victory in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches over 1600m before she successfully stepped up to 2100m in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly.
That victory required determination as well as class. After racing from the widest barrier, Diamond Necklace was forced to work for the lead but continued to find under pressure and maintained her unbeaten record.
She then faced older opposition for the first time in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.
Once again, the result was emphatic.
Diamond Necklace defeated Friendly Soul by almost three lengths to claim her fourth Group 1 victory and confirm that she could carry her dominance beyond her own generation.
Sunday’s return to 2000m provides O’Brien with another opportunity to determine the direction of her autumn campaign.
A strong performance could strengthen the case for testing her over 2400m in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. She is already prominent in the betting for Longchamp, although her stamina beyond 2100m remains untested.
The alternative would be to remain around 2000m, where she has already demonstrated the tactical speed and acceleration required to compete with Europe’s best.
Despite his remarkable record in Europe’s leading races, the Prix Jean Romanet is one Group 1 contest that has so far eluded O’Brien which is an amazing stat.
The trainer has won the Prix de Diane, Prix de l’Opéra and Prix Vermeille, but has yet to add Deauville’s principal middle-distance race for fillies and mares to his record.
Diamond Necklace appears to provide him with an outstanding opportunity to correct that omission.
Stablemate Precise has also been discussed as a potential candidate for the race after two defeats behind Blue Bolt over 1600m during the French summer.
The four-time Group 1 winner has maintained a high level throughout the season and connections have suggested that she may benefit from stepping up in distance.
Whether O’Brien relies solely on Diamond Necklace or strengthens his representation will add another layer of interest to the final declarations.
First staged in 2004, the race was originally created to strengthen the European programme for older fillies and mares.
It began at Group 2 level before being promoted to Group 1 status in 2009. The qualification conditions have since been expanded to include three-year-old fillies, allowing the leading members of the Classic generation to compete against older mares.
The race has also received a new name in 2026.
Previously known as the Prix Jean Romanet, it is now officially titled the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet, recognising two generations of one of the most influential families in international racing administration.
Jean Romanet served as director-general of the Société d’Encouragement, while his son Louis later held the same position and became chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.
The increased €400,000 prize fund and inclusion in the Arc Races programme have further strengthened the race’s position within the European season.
Recent winners include Quisisana, who produced an upset victory in 2025, and outstanding French mare Mqse De Sevigne, who completed consecutive victories in 2023 and 2024.
By Scott Bailey
