Saturday's action centres around Newbury and Deauville, with the former hosting the G2 Hungerford Stakes over the niche trip of seven furlongs with no obvious seven-furlong specialist in sight. Perhaps last year's City Of York Stakes winner Never So Brave (No Nay Never) is the answer, although he has shifted between this distance and a mile and has only one placing in his last five starts. Of more interest is TDN Rising Star Extremely Zain (Hello Youmzain) from the William Haggas stable that produced handicapper More Thunder to win this on his first Stakes foray 12 months ago.“It's a rise in class, but we think he's pretty talented and deserves to have a go at a race like this,” Haggas said. “It should be up his street, there looks to be a little bit of pace in the race and if they go a good solid gallop, he can relax and finish off and it will be very interesting.”Also at Newbury, one of Haggas's veteran stalwarts Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai) is back in Europe for the G3 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes, while Deauville's four Pattern races include the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano where Ballydoyle's Prix du Jockey Club third Montreal (Sea The Stars) is re-opposed by Daryzan (Zarak) who was seventh in that Chantilly Classic on only his second start. The Aga Khan Studs are also represented in the G3 Prix de Lieurey by last year's Prix Marcel Boussac third Narissa (Siyouni), while the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron sees Godolphin's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud runner-up Cualificar (Lope De Vega) tackle Wathnan's impressive Royal Ascot winner Map Of Stars (Sea The Stars).It is at Deauville on Sunday that the weekend's main attraction takes place, with the G1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois boasting a solid and competitive line-up despite losing the obvious sparkle that Bow Echo and Gstaad would have brought. In place of the latter is the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes heroine Precise (Starspangledbanner), who is spared another encounter with her nemesis Blue Bolt in what could be an ideal opportunity to get back on track.Precise's compatriot Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica) moves back up to a mile, but his tactical speed is the reason he mastered the Prix Jean Prat and the Jersey and this is a slight afterthought with Fozzy Stack seizing the day after the withdrawals of the big guns. More Thunder (Night Of Thunder) needs them to go hard from the outset, which isn't guaranteed while the colt that finished ahead of him in the Summer Stakes, Zeus Olympios (Night Of Thunder), gives the impression he needs to improve again to win something of this stature.From Japan are Carrot Farm's Yasuda Kinen hero Sixpence (Kizuna) and lesser-light Strauss (Maurice) and the former is a live contender in an open affair. “Sixpence travelled very well. He was able to work on Deauville's straight course on Thursday and everything went very smoothly,” trainer Hiroyashu Tanaka said. “He will be racing on a straight course for the first time on Sunday, but I don't think that will be a problem for him.”For the sponsors, the race which includes their homebred Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Rayif (Sea The Moon) carries extra import this year. “This partnership is an opportunity to thank the clients who support us throughout the year, in France and internationally–the people who buy our horses, the breeders and owners who support our stallions, as well as the supporters and fans of the Aga Khan Studs,” Nemone Routh explained. “Two Japanese horses will be taking part in the race. We understand the challenge involved in bringing a horse such a long way to compete in a Group 1 race and we wish them all the very best. We hope they are able to perform to their full potential.”Supporting the main event is the seven-furlong G3 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Francois Boutin, where the unbeaten TDN Rising Star Avec Toi (No Nay Never) is met by Godolphin's Doncaster winner Jassas (Dubawi). “Jassas has come forward a lot mentally since his debut,” Charlie Appleby said. “We had the choice of running under a penalty in a potentially trappy novice or having a crack at a Group race. We feel he is a Stakes horse and hopefully he will prove us right.”The post Open Marois The Weekend Feature appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.