Arc no longer the top target for Ghaiyyath

GHAIYYATH is set to miss the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday week with trainer Charlie Appleby saying the Champion Stakes at Ascot or the Breeders’ Cup Turf are more likely targets.

The Godolphin-owned colt, who won the Coronation Cup, Eclipse and International Stakes this season before finishing second to Magical in the Irish Champion Stakes earlier this month, is 14-1 for the Arc.

Appleby (right) said: ‘It is more of a negative than a positive at the moment. Without putting the rubber stamp on it, I would say we are more likely to miss the Arc and look towards Champions’ Day or the Breeders’ Cup.

‘Ghaiyyath has put up four big performances this season. The first three were nicely spaced out and it was one of his quickest back-ups going from the International Stakes to Irish Champion Stakes day. If I was to say he was going to the Arc and then look for a target after that like the Breeders Cup, it would be a big ask for a horse like him who puts so much into his races.’ Ghaiyyath was 10th in the 2019 Arc when struggling on the heavy Longchamp ground. Rising levels of Covid-19 infections in the Paris area mean question marks still hang over the Arc meeting. In line with French government policy, which was revised on Wednesday, plans to host up to 5,000 ‘racing professionals’ consisting of owners, breeders and participants at the track have been revised down to 1,000.

Discussions are ongoing but French horseracing’s governing body said: ‘France Galop teams are now setting up a system that will remain open to racing professionals while respecting health measures.’

Meanwhile, Appleby-trained La Barrosa was cut to 25-1 for next season’s 2,000 Guineas after a length victory in the Somerville

Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket yesterday, a success worth more than the winning margin given he had to wait for a gap before making his challenge under William Buick.

The 4-7 favourite, who cost £787,500 as a yearling, is not entered in the Dewhurst Stakes back at Newmarket two weeks on Saturday but Appleby said serious consideration would be given to handing the son of Lope De Vega a supplementary entry to the Group One race.

Appleby added: ‘He has a little bit of a presence about him and a spring in his step.’