Godolphin scratched numerous runners from British races on Saturday because of rain-softened ground, and Territories could well be another high-profile withdrawal from the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on Sunday.
Territories secured his Group 1 win in the Prix Jean Prat last month. He is the overwhelming favourite to provide Godolphin with a fifth win in the 1,600-metre event and trainer Andre Fabre a sixth.
Fabre was at Deauville to watch his French Derby winner New Bay win the Group 2 Prix Guillaume D’Ornano, and reportedly labelled the going at the Normandy racecourse a “disgrace”.
Fabre will walk the course to decide whether Territories and stablemate Esoterique take their chance.
He also runs Vadamos, while Godolphin are also set to run Toormore and Belardo.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s Estidhkaar is also declared.
“The going is a concern and on top of that, they are running handicap races on the track before the race, which could ruin the ground,” Fabre said.
Both Estidhkaar and Belardo have been waiting for rain-softened ground all season, with the latter not having had the conditions he craves since he beat Kodi Bear, an easy Group 3 winner at Salisbury on Thursday, in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last season.
Belardo was fourth behind dual Guineas winner Gleneagles in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in May and struggled behind Solow in the Sussex Stakes two weeks ago.
“Belardo has come out of Goodwood in good form,” trainer Roger Varian said.
“It will be the first time this season that he has encountered soft ground and we hope that this helps him show on the racetrack what he shows us at home.
“We have not lost faith in him and are expecting him to run very well.”
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