If you’re wondering what to do on Sunday, then look no further than the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Europe’s premier race is always a thrilling affair and now back at its Longchamp home, after a temporary couple of years at Chantilly while a grand revamp took place, there is perhaps nowhere better to spend the weekend than the suburbs of Paris.
Enable is the rightful favourite for the Arc. Last year’s heroine returned to the track a few weeks ago in a prep race at Kempton. She easily trounced the field which included Crystal Ocean, who was runner-up in this year’s King George. She could well come on for the run after nearly a year off the track. If that was her running with a few cobwebs on her back then lord knows what she could be capable of at Longchamp.
It’s not a one-horse race by any means but it is hard to see where the danger will come from, with the exception of Sea Of Class.
The Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks winner has the lightest weight on her back as a three-year-old filly. In fact, she carries 10lbs less than the older male horses. She carries 7lbs less than Enable. I do have a few question marks about the ground, whether it is a little soft for Sea Of Class, but if she handles it then she looks the biggest danger to Enable retaining the Arc.
I think it is pretty obvious that Aidan O’Brien has set his team up to spoil the race. Some of his runners won’t see out the trip and are purely in here to set a ridiculous early pace. That will set the race up for two of his in particular, Capri and Kew Gardens, the 2017 and 2018 winners of the St Leger. Obviously that classic race is a stamina tester, so it is fair to assume they will try to run the legs off Enable. I think that is the only way to beat her. I don’t think the ground will suit Kew Gardens, so Capri is the each-way value at 16/1.
Of the others, Waldgeist is in great form after winning the Prix Foy. He is a potent threat for master trainer Andre Fabre. Cloth Of Stars was second in last year’s Arc and could challenge for the places, while Talismanic has the class to play a part as shown when he won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf.
If Enable runs her best race then there isn’t a horse in this contest who can beat her. For betting value, Capri and Talismanic have the class at long odds to make an impression.
As for Saturday, the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket is the top class race. Andre Fabre’s Wind Chimes has been steadily backed. She was a narrow second in a Group 1 at Longchamp last time and it’s interesting she travels over the Channel for this. Clemmie has plenty of pace so might prefer slightly shorter in trip while stablemate Happily has the class but prefers soft ground. Veracious is potentially still improving and Frankie Dettori should get a tune out of her, but Laurens may just have the edge. She has won four Group 1s, including a victory in Ireland most recently and I’d back her to have the class edge in this race.