ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin assesses the chances of the market principals in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly on Sunday and gives his 1-2-3 verdict.
Enable – It’s the 2017 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly on Sunday and we’ll be bringing you the coverage live on ITV1. I can’t wait. And where else can you start in a guide to the Arc but with Enable? I’ve fallen in love with her like everyone else and I would love her to win the race. She’s the best story. The daughter of Nathaniel has taken the Flat season by storm and, Frankie Dettori being Frankie Dettori, a victory for horse and rider would be great for the ITV cameras. However, she’s odds-on now and I couldn’t have her at such prices. She has been on the go since April and this Sunday’s test will be different to anything she has faced before. It looks like it will be a big field and who knows what Team Ballydoyle have in store for her?
Ulysses – He’s the strong fancy for in-form Jason Weaver and I’m loathe to disagree with him at the moment. This horse has been a huge part of Sir Michael Stoute’s resurgence this season and he looked exceptional in the Juddmonte International at York last time. However, even if conditions were going to be ideal he’d need to have luck in-running given his style of racing and connections are going to be on weather watch I’m afraid. The potential deluge on Sunday could scupper his chances as I couldn’t fancy him on soft or worse ground.
Order Of St George – He’s my bet in the race. The Aidan O’Brien-trained horse came third in it last year when things had gone wrong for him, he was beaten by Wicklow Brave at the Curragh when in nothing like the form he’s in now. I’m sure Ryan Moore would like another crack at the Ascot Gold Cup but he’s not put a foot wrong since then, looking awesome last time, no messing from the front in the Irish St Leger, and I can see him serving it up in similar fashion at Chantilly. Catch him if you can and the ground is of no concern to him.
Click here for Sky Bet's NRNB Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe odds!
Brametot – Put a line through his last run and he’d be pretty much favourite, but he was slowly away that day and looked a world away from running in an Arc never mind winning one. A definite question mark against him now. Fair to say earlier in the year looked like an archetypal French Arc candidate but that recent blot on the copybook is hard to erase. And then he has to prove he stays as well.
Highland Reel – A major one for weather watch. If it comes up soft on the day you can just put a line through him. It’s as simple as that for me. He’s such an admirable horse, a great warrior, but it’s very hard to see him figure on soft.
Winter – I’m unsure about running plans for Winter, she would be interesting if she did turn up... but you have to say it’s unlikely.
Dschingis Secret – German raider that put in a career-best when winning the Prix Foy and he would love the forecast Sunday rain. I’m unsure over that Foy form, though, it is a big step up from that to the Arc and it’s doubtful he’ll be good enough.
Capri – He’s a really interesting part of the Ballydoyle tactical jigsaw. I thought it was a top-drawer St Leger that he won and remember this is a horse that beat Cracksman, who would be second favourite for this, in the Irish Derby. I’m sure he’ll run his race but just two weeks on from Doncaster it’ll be tough for him. Brough Scott spoke on ITV about tough battles in the Leger on Town Moor and that was a really stern examination for Capri. Never underestimate a Galileo as they’ll run through walls for you but I suspect he’ll come up short. Aidan O’Brien is a master at targeting a race but has this always been the plan? It could be an afterthought.
Best Of The Rest - Andre Fabre always comes up with something in the Arc so keep a close eye on his three as whatever he selects could well run a big race. It takes some imagination to envisage Plumatic being involved but Doha Dream stays well having won over 1m7f at the track and Cloth Of Stars won’t mind the conditions. In fact, the latter didn’t get the best of runs in the Prix Foy and could well turn that form around with Dshingis Secret, so he completes my one-two-three which is…
- ORDER OF ST GEORGE
- Enable
- Cloth Of Stars
*I need a bit more time to go through the Cambridgeshire, so that preview will be online on Thursday on these very pages. What a great weekend we have in store!