LUX’ COULD THRILL
O’Brien charge ready for a Triomphe
ANTE-POST favourite Luxembourg appears well placed in stall eight after all 20 declared runners were allocated their starting berths in a live draw for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Having missed the middle part of the season through injury, Aidan O’Brien’s charge will be having just his fourth start of the season in Sunday’s ParisLongchamp showpiece.
The Irish Champion
Stakes winner heads the betting as he bids to provide his trainer with a third Arc success following the previous triumphs of
Dylan Thomas in 2007 and Found in 2016.
Mark Prescott is likely to be similarly content after his star mare
Alpinista was handed stall six, with Ralph
Beckett’s Irish Derby hero Westover next door in seven.
John and Thady
Gosden’s two runners were not as fortunate, however, with the Clarehaven pair of Mostahdaf and Mishriff breaking from 16 and 17 respectively.
Shock
The British contingent is completed by William Haggas’ Alenquer, who is in gate 12.
Frankie Dettori will partner last year’s shock Arc winner Torquator Tasso, who is also drawn wider than ideal in stall 18.
The two leading French hopes are the Fabrice Chappet-trained Onesto (11) and Jean-Claude Rouget’s Vadeni (two) — second and third behind Luxembourg at Leopardstown three weeks ago.
TONY Mullins knows the size of the task facing Princess Zoe when she takes on Kyprios in the Prix du Cadran tomorrow, but believes she can make a race of it at ParisLongchamp.
Beaten 15 lengths by Aidan O’Brien’s new star in the Irish St Leger, just 20 days later she somehow must bridge that gap.
In her favour is that this distance of two and a half miles, in a race she won two years ago, is more in her favour than the 14 furlongs of the Irish St Leger and Mullins is hoping for very deep ground, but he does not think it
Vadeni had previously won the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and is ridden by Christophe Soumillon, who has two Arc wins on his CV courtesy of Dalakhani (2003) and Zarkava (2008).
Happy
“I was quite happy to see that I didn’t get a very outside draw. I was hoping to have a draw between the middle and the inside and that’s what we have,” Soumillon told Sky Sports Racing.
“It depends how the track will be on Sunday. We are waiting for a lot of rain on Friday night and Saturday morning, so it just depends on the track, really.
“Each jockey will take their own decision after a few strides and hopefully the pace will be good.
“The rain plus the distance is a little worry — we don’t really know if the horse is going to handle it. “It’s a test for him, but I’m sure the way he finished last time he should be good.
“The track was soft in Ireland and the horse is much better in these conditions now.
“He has a great turn of foot and a lot of quality, which is the most important thing you need in a big race like the Arc.”
Leading Japanese hope Titleholder is down the middle in stall 10, with compatriot Stay Foolish widest of all in 20 and Germany’s Mendocino is lowest in one. will be as soft as some are anticipating.
“My girl over there rode Princess Zoe out on the track and she didn’t think the ground was that bad at all — certainly not as soft as it has been the last two years,” said Mullins.
Watered
“Admittedly, she wasn’t on the racing line so it won’t have been watered, but I don’t think the ground will be as bad as some are saying.
“Looking at the forecasts I don’t think there’s that much rain to come, either!
“She’s in good form but will need to improve a lot to beat Kyprios. I am expecting her to, but whether she can improve enough is the question.”
“We’ve had real trouble with her coming in and out of season this year, and I put that down to the very warm summer,” he went on.
“It has stabilised now, that is why I’m convinced she’s better than the last day, but we’ve not had a clear run with her this season.”
ARC RIVALS: Luxembourg and (inset, from top) Aidan O’Brien and William Haggas all hoping for Paris success
RALPH BECKETT
(inset) is looking forward to Westover’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid with growing confidence and underlined his string’s fine form with a juvenile treble in the first three races at Salisbury yesterday.
The Kimpton handler annexed both divisions of the Byerley Stud British EBF Novice Stakes with Bluestocking, a daughter of Camelot, landing the first, before If Not Now, a son of Iffraaj, led home stablemate Rebel Red in the second division.
Measure
Just for good measure Remarquee showed a good turn of foot to take the first division of the 7f Radcliffe & Co British EBF Novice Stakes.
Bluestocking (9-1) will head to one of the Classic trials in the spring after the filly was given a hands and heels ride by Rob Hornby to score by a length and a quarter from Tony Montana.
Beckett said: “You’ll probably see her in a trial in the spring. She’s a big filly and well-balanced. I thought she did very well.”
If Not Now (13-2) and Rebel Red both looked useful colts for the future, with Dougie Costello beating Hornby’s newcomer by three-quarters of a length.
“He was a little edgy to post and behind the gate,” Beckett said of the winner. “It might take a while to get over, so we will put him away.
“I thought the second would need it more. Both are nice colts.”
Of the trio’s successes, Remarquee (5-1) was the most visually impressive, with the Kingman filly cruising past favourite Bresson to score by a length and a quarter to complete Hornby’s double.
Looking ahead to ParisLongchamp, he added: “It’s all systems go with Westover. We’re looking forward to it. His preparation has gone well.”