Wind can give Frankie Classic hat-trick

The question on everyone's lips ahead of the Prix de Diane Hermes, the French equivalent of the Oaks, at Chantilly on Sunday is whether Frankie Dettori can win a third Classic within the space of eight days. The simples answer is yes, he can, as West Wind, a 6/1 chance with Stan James, looks a filly going places. On just her second career start, the daughter of Machiavellian was beaten under a length by the favourite for Sunday's race, Coquerelle, and appeared to improve markedly next time out when sauntering home at this track over a half-a-furlong shorter trip a month later. Unraced as a juvenile, this late maturing filly is improving fast and it looks significant that her owner, Sheikh Mohammed, has forked out the money to supplement the filly for this Group 1 contest. Indeed, connections seem happy to re-oppose the unbeaten Coquerelle. The latter has the strongest form claims, of that there's no doubt, but she was forced to dig extremely deep to land the Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp last month which, although a Group 1 race, was not a strong affair by any stretch of the imagination, and it could be that West Wind will find the necessary improvement to topple her this time. Andre Fabre is double-handed with Cinnamon Bay and Vadapolina, and neither can be discounted. The latter, the mount of Cristophe Soumillon, has demonstrated a potent turn of foot in winning her two starts this term and is probably the first string, albeit her stablemate is on an upward curve and should also be in the thick of things at the business end. Believe Me is going the right way and, many might argue, was unlucky when beaten by Coquerelle in the Saint-Alary. She would probably prefer a bit more give underfoot but cannot be discounted nevertheless. Sole UK raider Sweet Lilly is decent in her own right, however she'll do well to reach the frame never mind prevail. Verdict: 1pt win West Wind @ 6/1 (Stan James)