French speed star Lazzat will take some stopping as he seeks to scatter the seagulls on the Normandy coast again and land the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) for the second successive year at Deauville on Sunday (10 August).

In a top-class renewal, last year's winner faces serious opposition from home and abroad, but his trainer Jerome Reynier reports his stable's leading man in fighting form for this dash down the seaside circuit's La Teste straight.

Lazzat  swaggers into town having put up a hugely impressive performance when getting the better of Japan's Satono Reve in a thrilling duel for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot in June.

He caused a scare after passing the line, throwing his jockey off his back and galloping off for an unscheduled lap of honour before finally being caught.

"He took fright at the blanket and ejected James Doyle before escaping, but fortunately there was no harm done," Reynier said this week.

"He came out of his Ascot race very well. He adapts to everything, is used to Deauville and is ready to defend his title."

The omens look good for Lazzat to add his name to previous multiple winners of the Maurice de Gheest, like three-time winners Marchand d'Or and Moonlight Cloud.

Francis-Henri Graffard is counting on Woodshauna, who scraped home under Christophe Soumillon to win the G1 Prix Jean Prat (1400m) at the track a month ago, to continue his fine season.

But Lazzat's success last year aside, three-year-olds have generally struggled against their elders in Sunday's showpiece.

Graffard also runs three-year-old filly Rayevka (Mickael Barzalona), sporting the colours of the late Aga Khan.

She booked her ticket when running on late to grab third in the G1 Commonwealth Cup (1200m) at Royal Ascot.

The Prix Maurice de Gheest is one of the few Group 1s Andre Fabre has yet to win – and the master French trainer is hoping Sajir can put that right.

His season began well with success in the G3 Abernant Stakes (1200m) at Newmarket in April, but things went badly wrong at Royal Ascot when he had to be withdrawn after getting upset in the stalls for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

"Sajir came back with a few bruises, but otherwise he is fine, it was unfortunate," remarked Fabre, who also runs Tribalist, a Group 2 winner over 1600m in May.

Christopher Head has supplemented Topgear (Stephane Pasquier), who had a valid excuse for a dismal performance behind Lazzat at Ascot – he lost two shoes during the race.

Lazzat's biggest danger, though, could be Inisherin, whose trainer Kevin Ryan won the 2017 edition with Brando.

An eye-catching winner of the G1 Commonwealth Cup (1200m) last year, he is set on quick revenge after running out of steam when seventh to Lazzat at Ascot.

He subsequently had to be scratched from the G1 July Cup (1200m) at the start on the advice of the racecourse vet.

"It's unfortunate what happened in the July Cup, but that's past tense now, and it was always the plan after that to go to the Maurice de Gheest," Ryan told the Nick Luck podcast.

"This is six-and-a-half furlongs, an extra half furlong, but it won't be a problem to him. He seems very well in himself and I'm looking forward to running him. I think the distance will really suit him."

Others of note are Beauvatier, third 12 months ago, and the Godolphin duo Shadow Of Light, back in Deauville after just missing out on a place in the Prix Jean Prat, and Symbol Of Honour.