Aidan O'Brien believes the best is yet to come from Camille Pissarro, who is set to spearhead a strong Ballydoyle duo in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, G1) June 1 at Chantilly Racecourse.
The Wootton Bassett colt, who ended his juvenile campaign with top-level success in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) on Arc day, finished third behind stablemate Henri Matisse in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) May 11.
After winning on his debut at Navan in April last year, he disappointed when beaten into 11th in the Coventry Stakes (G2) in June and was unable to win again until October, which came as a surprise to his trainer.
O'Brien said: "We thought he was probably one of our best 2-year-olds at the time of Ascot, as he worked like a very, very good horse all the time.
"He just disappointed us when we ran him, and we couldn't understand what we were doing wrong. I suppose in our eyes he always underperformed because he worked like a top-class horse but he hadn't won at that level until he got to France on Arc day.
"He used to get there and just run out of it. We couldn't find any physical problem and we didn't think there was any mental problem. The reason he kept taking the training is because he was a good horse."
Christophe Soumillon rode Camille Pissarro last time, but Ryan Moore is set to return to the saddle. However, O'Brien explained how it was the former who told him to target this race.
O'Brien said: "Christophe rode him last time and the minute he came in he said that this should be his next race.
"The French Guineas was the first time he ran over a mile, so we weren't really sure how far he would stay. As a 2-year-old, we weren't sure that he would even get seven furlongs, but he obviously won on Arc day with Christophe and he felt the French Derby was made for him.
"His work has been great, and everything has been perfect since the French Guineas. We were very happy with that run. Christophe could be right and he could be very exciting because he is a big horse and he has the scope and everything else to get better."
Dubawi colt Trinity College is the second expected starter for O'Brien.
O'Brien said: "We always thought Trinity College was better last year than what he showed, and he ran some very good races. Obviously he did win but didn't win a group race, but we were very happy with his last run at Epsom and very happy with his first run back this year at Naas."
Gosdens Seek Season's Second Classic Win
Thady Gosden is hoping the step up to a mile and a quarter can see Detain secure his stable a second classic of the season in the Prix du Jockey Club.
The joint-trainer was involved in the success of Mishriff, who won the group 1 just before he joined his father, John, on the license in 2020, and the yard is bidding for another major 3-year-old success after Field of Gold's victory in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) May 24.
Like Field of Gold, Detain runs in the green, pink, and white Juddmonte silks, and he produced a promising performance on his first trip to France when finishing a running-on sixth behind Henri Matisse in the French Two Thousand Guineas this month.
He is a half brother to Arrest, who won the 2023 Chester Vase (G3) and finished runner-up in the St Leger Stakes (G1) for the same connections, which bodes well when considering he is tackling 1 5/16 miles for the first time.
"Detain traveled back great from the Poulains and seems in good order," Gosden said. "He took the experience well, he ran a nice race and was doing all of his best work late on. He shapes as if the step up to a mile and a quarter will suit him."
Soumillon has been booked to take the ride on the Wootton Bassett colt, and the father-and-son training team will also be represented by the lightly raced Bowmark, who recently impressed William Buick in a novice event at York's Dante meeting but will this time be partnered by Tom Marquand for owner Lordship Stud.
On his chance, Gosden said: "We always thought he was a talented colt and he showed it when he finished second in the Burradon Stakes. He's come out of York very well and William said he gave him the feel a mile and a quarter would be his optimum trip."
Mishriff is the sole Jockey Club winner to emerge from Clarehaven and he went on to have a decorated career, recording wins in the Saudi Cup on dirt and Sheema Classic and Juddmonte International on turf.
A total of 18 horses could go to post for this year's race, with the field boosted by the supplementary entries of Feilden Stakes runner-up King of Cities for Richard Hannon and once-raced colt Sinileo for Andre Fabre.
Detain and Bowmark are 8-1 generally for the Jockey Club in a market headed by Camille Pissarro at 3-1.
