Irish invaders look strong in Prix de l’Opera on Arc Day

Irish invaders may dominate Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Opera for fillies and mares at Chantilly, France, one of five Group 1 races for Thoroughbreds on the undercard of a stellar program led by the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s leading race.

Hydrangea, winner of the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Sept. 9 in Ireland, and Shamreen, winner of the Group 2 Blandford Stakes on Sept. 10 at The Curragh in Ireland, lead a field of 14 in the $472,520 Prix de l’Opera, run over 1 1/4 miles.

The race offers a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 4 at Del Mar. Hydrangea, who was last of 14 in the 2016 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita last November, has won two group stakes this year for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

In the Prix de l’Opera, O’Brien’s powerful stable also starts Rhododendron, who was second to Arc favorite Enable in the English Oaks in June.

Queen’s Trust, winner of the 2016 BC Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita, is part of the Prix de l’Opera field. She is winless in four starts this year.

O’Brien has runners in several stakes Sunday at Chantilly. This is the second and final year the Arc program will be held at Chantilly while Longchamp Racecourse in western Paris undergoes a massive grandstand renovation. Longchamp is scheduled to reopen in the spring and host the Arc program in 2018.

On Sunday, O’Brien runs Magical in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac for 2-year-old fillies at a mile, a race that offers an automatic berth for the winner to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

Magical was second by a short head to Happily in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes on Sept. 10 at The Curragh in her Group 1 debut. The $354,390 Prix Marcel Boussac drew a field of seven, including the unbeaten Polydream, who has won twice for owners Alain and Gerard Wertheimer and trainer Freddie Head.

Polydream is by Oasis Dream and is out of Polygreen, who was second in the Grade 2 Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita in 2003.

There are only six entrants in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at a mile, including Happily, who has never raced against males. Happily, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore, must beat Masar, who won the Group 3 Solario Stakes at seven furlongs Sept. 2 at Sandown Park near London.

Masar is owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trained by Charlie Appleby. They also start Mythical Magic, who was third in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes on Sept. 16 at Doncaster.

The winner of the $413,455 Jean-Luc Lagardere receives a fees-paid berth for the BC Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

There are two sprint stakes on the Arc program, which begins at 8:10 a.m., Eastern.

The Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at five furlongs is led by Marsha, the 4-yearold filly who won the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes by the narrowest of noses at five furlongs Aug. 25 at York Racecourse. Marsha edged the American-trained Lady Aurelia in that race.

In June, Marsha, who is trained in England by Mark Johnston, was third behind Lady Aurelia in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at five furlongs at Royal Ascot.

There are 13 runners in the $413,455 Prix de l’Abbaye. The English visiting team includes Battaash, who was fourth in the Nunthorpe Stakes, finishing 5 1/4 lengths behind Marsha.

The Group 1 Prix de la Foret at seven furlongs does not have a standout runner among 10 entrants. Acclaim, who won the Group 2 Park Stakes at seven furlongs Sept. 16 at Doncaster, starts for trainer Martyn Meade against Zelzal, who was fourth in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on very soft turf Aug. 2.

Conditions are expected to be soft Sunday, but not as much as was Goodwood in early August, which was fortunate to race that day.

Zelzal is owned by Al Shaqab Racing, who also starts the well-regarded Karar, who won the Group 3 Prix du Pin at seven furlongs Sept. 3 at Chantilly.

Karar was second in the 2016 Prix de la Foret and last of 14 in the BC Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last November.