It is probably entirely appropriate that the Chantilly-based trainer, charged with ending 30 years of Gallic hurt on the Surrey Downs, has the sobriquet 'le petit Napoleon'. Step forward Andre Fabre.

Fabre, 60, a former champion jump jockey, shares his stature with the great commander. He can emit a rather imperial aura, too; like many who are exceptional in their job, and have worked hard and long to be so, he does not suffer fools and slights particularly well.

But it is as a tactician and strategist that Fabre probably has most in common with the Corsican military legend.

He has been champion trainer in France for the past 19 years and has campaigned his elite troops at home and abroad with devastating effect. For instance, he is easily the leading European trainer at the Breeders' Cup meets in America. But the Derby remains the one major global contest not yet on his CV. He has tried and failed to win the world's premier Classic seven times; this year, in the 227th running, he has two weapons. The warm favourite, Visindar, owned by the Aga Khan, and Linda's Lad, a 14-1 shot, who carries the colours of Irish property developer Sean Mulryan.

Only nine French-trained horses have won a Derby.

Though Gladiateur was French-bred and Frenchowned he was housed in Newmarket and handled by an Englishman. The first to travel to victory from France was Durbar in 1914, the most recent Empery in 1976. Since then, 31 raiders have lost.

Visindar and Linda's Lad present marked contrasts.

Visindar is the one with potential, the could-be-anything colt. The chestnut is unbeaten, and barely extended in three runs, most lately a four-length success in a Group 2 trial at Saint-Cloud 13 days ago. But in terms of experience he is still tender;

he has never been involved in the hurly-burly of a big field.

Linda's Lad is the one who has been there, done that.

The bay has raced eight times, lost and won in equal measure, and, with three of his victories being achieved by a head or less, he knows how to fight. A winner at the top level as a two-year-old, he proved his quality by giving weight and a beating to his rivals in the trial at Lingfield 15 days ago.