Betstar’s Alan Eskander believes 2012 Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe runner up Orfevre will continue to shorten in the coming week’s leading into this year’s event on October 5.
Orfevre moved into clear favouritism in Betstar’s 2013 Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe market after an effortless win at Longchamp on Sunday, firming from $7 into $4.
“He could not have been more impressive on Sunday, winning by three lengths eased down,” Eskander said.
“It was the perfect trial, a soft kill without being knocked around. His defeat last year was cruel, and he is clearly going better at this stage of his preparation this year than at the same time last year.
“He showed none of his quirky, bad habits mid race and no ill effects from the long journey from Japan to France so come race day I expect him to have shortened even further.”
Unbeaten French galloper Treve ran the quickest time of the three Arc trials on Sunday, taking out the Prix Vermeille by a length and three quarters.
Treve has already shortened from $8 into $5 but Eskander expects that trend to continue.
“While she perhaps was not as visually impressive as Orfevre, she fits the profile of an Arc winner perfectly,” Eskander said.
“The last two years, like Treve, the winners have been three-year-old fillies. On that, I expect to see her shorten further if she pulls up well.”
A truly international race this year, the next line of betting is held by German Derby winning Novellist ($6), Japanese Derby winner Kizuna ($8) and Epsom Derby winner Ruler Of The World ($10).
“If not for Orfevre, you’d say the race was at the mercy of the three-year-old’s this year,” Eskander said.
“Featuring winners of Derby’s in Germany, Japan and England, it’s hard to pick one. If I had to, however, it would be Kizuna. He was quoted by his trainer as only being 80% fit on Sunday, so he’s likely to gain the most improvement from the weekend.”
