Thursday’s French Banker finished runner-up behind a strong benchmark on her latest outing at Compiegne and looks poised to go one better today.

Tante Zena (Mickaël Seror / Angelo Zuliani)

Auteuil – Race 4 – Prix Pelat

• Finished second behind stablemate Rooster Crowing at Compiegne last time, a five-time winner who has also been placed in Grade 3 company.

• Found her best stride late on that occasion and continues to progress with each run.

Tante Zena caught the eye at Compiegne on her most recent start. She faced several disadvantages that day - coming from the rear in a race dominated by frontrunners, conceding the inside rail to her Grade 3-placed stablemate Rooster Crowing in the straight, and encountering traffic on the turn for home. The strength of that performance is further underlined by it coming in mixed-sex company. Back among fillies this time, the four-year-old is expected to be much better suited and could take another step forward. Running in the colours of Mrs Henri Devin, connections know what it takes to win this contest, with Sissi du Mesnil scoring back in 2023. Having shaped like a winner in waiting last time, this could well be the day Tante Zena delivers on that promise.