Rashabar, Tiber Flow, Ylang Ylang and Kyprios among British and Irish stars at ParisLongchamp

It’s arguably not the strongest British and Irish challenge of all time in this year’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but Los Angeles, Al Riffa and the supplemented Bluestocking could all go off at single-figure prices on the day, while one or two shrewd operators are expecting a bit better from last year’s fifth Continuous as well.

Sunday’s coveted prize has come back across the Channel 11 times since the turn of the century - Alpinista the last to do the honours in 2022 with Enable’s double (2017 and 2018) prior to that - and while City Of Troy, Economics, White Birch and Rebel’s Romance all missing the big show for one reason or another has resulted in the two home-trained three-year-olds, Sosie and Luck De Vega, dominating the betting market, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Britain or Ireland struck gold again. I've argued as much in an in-depth horse-by-horse guide here.

One thing’s for certain and that’s no matter how the raiding party fares in the Sunday highlight, there are still significant G1 riches on offer elsewhere across the meeting and, in general terms, the Anglo-Irish entry is looking incredibly strong. So away from the Arc itself, here are seven key horses heading for France who I feel are all well capable of making their mark at the highest level.

KYPRIOS (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien)

1.33 Longchamp, Saturday – Qatar Prix du Cadran

Alright, start with an obvious one and build from there shall we...

Such a strong stayer that he’s won two Gold Cups at Royal Ascot; yet also so classy that plenty of onlookers half-expected a dart at this year’s Arc de Triomphe itself on the back of his comfortable win in last month’s Irish St Leger.

What can be said about current staying king Kyprios that hasn't been said before?

He wandered all over the track on his last visit to these parts in the 2022 Cadran, which might set a few alarm bells ringing if you were blissfully unaware he still galloped his rivals senseless with a 20-length success that day.

All things being equal, Kyprios will get the job done Saturday. Away win.

CAIUS CHORISTER (David Menuisier)

4.00 Longchamp, Saturday – Qatar Prix de Royallieu

Given her love of softer conditions, the spring and autumn are clearly key times of year for Caius Chorister and, while not certain to get her ideal très souple ground on Saturday, there should still be sufficient juice in it to see her perform close to her best.

She’s not had the rub of the green so far in 2024, finishing second in three of her five starts, but if she’s going to win a Group 1 then it’s not hard to see that coming over a mile and three-quarters in France at the back end of the campaign.

It won’t be easy by any stretch, but this is a race the British and Irish have farmed in recent years, including a win for the Menuisier-trained Wonderful Tonight, and it’s likely been on her trainer's agenda for several months now.

BEDTIME STORY (Aidan O’Brien)

12.55 Longchamp, Sunday – Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac

Opera Singer’s victory 12 months ago took Aidan O’Brien to five (and level with Pascal Bary and Criquette Head-Maarek) career wins in the Marcel Boussac and, on her best form, Bedtime Story holds very realistic claims.

Unfortunately, she took a giant step in the wrong direction when last of five behind Lake Victoria in the Moyglare last time out, but she was reported to be lame afterwards and it’s a run best ignored.

We’ve seen Ballydoyle fillies bounce back swiftly on countless occasions over the years and this daughter of Frankel looked very exciting in the summer months so deserves another chance in top company.

RASHABAR (Brian Meehan)

1.30 Longchamp, Sunday – Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere

A few jaws may have dropped when Rashabar overcame an apparent track bias to win the Coventry Stakes at 80/1, but trainer Brian Meehan insisted he wasn’t at all shocked and then came out fighting after the Prix Morny, insisting his colt was an unlucky loser behind Whistlejacket, who had an advantage racing tight to the stands’ rail.

Meehan has a point, on reflection, and the way Rashabar finished in his last two races over six furlongs strongly suggests he’ll be happy going a bit further this weekend, while he seems versatile ground-wise too.

Winners have been few and far between for the Manton outfit this term, but Rashabar has flown the flag with distinction, and he certainly won’t be out of place in the Lagardere.

BELIEVING (George Boughey)

2.05 Longchamp, Sunday – Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp

Believing is widely considered one of the unluckiest fillies around at the moment but it’s easy to forget she’s won at Listed and Group 2 level already this season, while mopping up some significant prize-money in major races at Royal Ascot (x2), Goodwood, York and the Curragh. It's hard being a sprinter, you know.

She’s looked quite harshly done to by the draw (high at York and low in Ireland probably not the places to be on the day) the last twice, and a lot might hinge on that again this Sunday in the Abbaye, but a G1 win before the year’s out looks almost a formality if we're basing things on talent alone.

Sunday morning rain (somewhere in the region of 5mm forecast) would come as a small negative, although she has won on ‘soft’ French going in the past so it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.

YLANG YLANG (Aidan O'Brien)

4.05 Longchamp, Sunday – Prix de l’Opera Longines

Porta Fortuna would have been a short-priced favourite here so in her absence it makes sense to focus on a couple of horses who finished close to her most recently.

Fallen Angel put up a brave effort from the front when runner-up to Donnacha O'Brien's filly in the Matron but Ylang Ylang really caught the eye in behind, finishing her race off strongly for a never-nearer fourth.

That was a big step in the right direction for this daughter of Frankel, who went into last winter as the leading Ballydoyle juvenile filly having claimed top-class honours in the Fillies' Mile. She was injured in the Oaks but looks well on the way back now and it could be a fruitful autumn for her based on the latest effort.

TIBER FLOW (William Haggas)

4.40 Longchamp, Sunday – Qatar Prix de la Foret

One of my personal highlights on course this year was witnessing Tiber Flow getting to his feet after taking what looked a disastrous fall around a furlong from the finish in the Duke Of York back in May. They really were hurtling by that point.

Quite how he and Tom Marquand escaped largely unscathed from the incident looked a minor miracle at the time and the pair kept the disbelief rolling by winning the Group 3 John Of Gaunt less than a month later.

The son of Caravaggio must be made of the sternest stuff and while Goodwood didn't go to plan after that, he hit back yet again to win the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, a performance which must have left connections dreaming of top-class success.

It will take another massive effort to overhaul Kinross and the classy French filly Ramatuelle here, but you rule Tiber Flow out at your peril and, with trip and ground (good to soft?) to suit, I can't see him letting the side down.

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