Confirmed runners and riders for Sunday's Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville

Palace Pier will bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the Prix Jacques le Marois in 24 years as all the big guns stood their ground to leave a final field of eight for the highlight of Deauville's summer meeting on Sunday.

The four-year-old was an impressive winner of the race last year and will bid for a fifth success at the top level in the mile Group 1, having missed an engagement in last month's Sussex Stakes after suffering a setback following his victory in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Palace Pier, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, will attempt to become the first dual winner since Spinning World landed successive runnings in 1996 and 1997 and join an elite group as only the third multiple winner of the race, while joint-trainer John Gosden aims to win his third Marois in eight years following Kingman's victory in 2014.

Prix Jacques le Marois racecard and betting

Last year's runner-up Alpine Star is back to challenge Palace Pier again, but the Jessica Harrington-trained four-year-old must improve from a workmanlike effort on her seasonal return when second in a Listed race at York last month.

2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes hero Poetic Flare will aim to get back to winning ways following his reverse in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time out, while Aidan O'Brien will rely solely on Breeders' Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia having scratched Prix Rothschild winner Mother Earth at the final confirmations stage.

The Richard Hannon-trained Chindit completes the British and Irish challenge, while master French trainer Andre Fabre saddles two in the high-class field - last year's French 2,000 Guineas winner Victor Ludorum and Midtown.

Palace Pier heads the betting with Paddy Power at 4-6 and their spokesman Paul Binfield said: "The front three in the market have all shortened with Mother Earth not running, and Palace Pier is now a warm order to land this contest for a second year in succession and secure his third top-class victory of the campaign."

Prix Jacques le Marois betting
Paddy Power: 4-6 Palace Pier, 100-30 Poetic Flare, 13-2 Alpine Star, 12 Victor Ludorum, 14 Midtown, 25 bar

Prix Jacques le Marois runners and riders

Palace Pier Frankie Dettori
Victor Ludorum Mickael Barzalona
Order Of Australia Ryan Moore
Ecrivain Maxime Guyon
Alpine Star Shane Foley
Poetic Flare Kevin Manning
Midtown William Buick
Chindit Pat Dobbs

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