Royal Ascot stars Accidental Agent and Alpha Centauri to take each other on at Deauville this Sunday
Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is looking forward to seeing Accidental Agent take on Jessica Harrington's brilliant filly
EVE JOHNSON HOUGHTON can't wait to pitch Accidental Agent up against Alpha Centauri in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday.
Queen Anne Stakes hero Accidental Agent has not raced since winning the Group 1 contest at Royal Ascot.
Harrington's Alpha Centauri has arguably been the star of the season so far, racking up a hat-trick of Group 1 win in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Coronation Stakes and the Falmouth Stakes.
She will be a hot favourite to extend her winning run when she meets the boys for the first time in France this weekend.
But Johnson Houghton is not scared about going up against the favourite.
Johnson Houghton told At The Races: "Alpha Centauri looks an amazing filly.
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"We're taking her on and obviously she'll be the favourite, but hopefully we'll give her a good rattle anyway.
"Hopefully Alpha Centauri will go a nice, decent pace and we've got something to aim at and we either get there or we don't.
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"It's quite straightforward. We don't have to worry about what we're going to follow.
"She likes to go forward, we like to hold up and one of us will win, hopefully.
"Group 1 form is Group 1 form. I'm walking my box something terrible."
Connections of the superstar filly are also feeling positive ahead of the Deauville feature, which is worth a cool €1,000,000.
Alan Cooper, racing manager for Alpha Centauri's owners the Niarchos family, issued an positive update as the daughter of Mastercraftsman gears up for Sunday's race.
He said: "The filly is in good form and all being well she'll run on Sunday.
"Jessie is very happy with her. Let's hope the weather stays favourable.
"There are showers forecast, but how much rain they'll get we'll have to wait and see.
"It will be her first time taking on colts, but is too early to speculate which horses she'll be up against."