It’s the nervous week of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and the ‘educated money’ has come for champion Enable to be $2.50 favourite for Sunday 4 October at ParisLongchamp.
Enable has every reason for this to be her record third Arc, and every reason to lose. She has the genius of all-time six times winner Frankie Dettori, and the big-race record of trainer John Gosden.
However, it’s the might of Coolmore, champion jokey Ryan Moore and career highlights of Aiden O’Brien that has their champion 3yo filly Love now as $3.75 second favourite.
This season Love has matched Enable in winning the Epsom Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. In addition, Love won the 1000 Guineas and Enable the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Irish Oaks.
With Coolmore’s Irish Champion Stakes winner Magical being at $13, she is joined by their Grand Prix de Paris winner Mogul also at $13, while his year older Galileo full-brother Japan at $34.
In earlier winning the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, Mogul now matches his brother Japan who also won the Grand Prix de Paris last year, plus the King Edward VII Stakes and International Stakes at York.
Both are full brothers to Group winners Sir Isaac Newton and Secret Gesture, being from the winning stakes placed Danehill mare Shastye, a half-sister to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe sire Sagamix.
There is no holding back Godolphin’s high flying Battaash who is $2.10 for the Prix de Abbaye de Lonchamp Longines of 1000m, ahead of Flying Five Stakes winner Glass Slippers at $4.50.
Looking for his second Prix Abbaye victory, Battaash is undefeated the season in winning the King Stand Stakes, Nunthorpe Stakes and King George Qatar Stakes for trainer Charlie Hills.
With our Juvenile season starting, it’s coming to a finale in France with the Prix Jean-Luc Legardere, the Grand Criterium of 1600m for 2yo colts and fillies also run on Qatar Arc Day.
It’s the provincial Calan based trainer Frederic Rossi, with satellite stables at Chantilly, who heads the Grand Criterium ratings with his Vichy stakes winner Sealiway, who has won at 1200m and 1400m.
In winning three of his five starts, Sealiway is placed twice at Longchamp including Prix la Rochette and is by the French based Champion First Season Sire Galiway, from the stakes winner Kensea.
Again, it’s the HH Aga Khan with his home-bred Makaloun winning all four starts including the Prix de Conde of 1700m at Chantilly, and is by the successful Bated Breath from the winner Makana.
Also trained by Jean-Claude Rouget for HH Aga Khan is the listed Criterium de Lyon 1400m winner Darkness, who is also bred by his Haras de Bonneval and is by his French based Champion Sire Siyouni.
The all-female Irish owned and bred See The Rose is a fancied duel entry in both the Grand Criterium and the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches of 1600m for 2yo fillies.
Trained by Andre Fabre at Chantilly, See The Rose has won all three starts including the Prix Six Perfections Sky Racing of 1400m at Deauville and is sired by the Haras des Colleville based Kendargent.
Highly rated is the Charley Rossi trained Tiger Tanaka with five wins from six starts up to 1600m including the Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville, and is by the versatile sire Clodovil.
The Nicholas Clements trained King’s Harlequin is next in-line, and by champion Epsom and Irish Derby winner Camelot she has two wins at Longchamp including the Prix d’Aumale of 1600m.
No 2yo has won the Prix de Abbaye de Lonchamp Longines since the Ghislaine Head owned filly Sigy in 1978, who was trained by her daughter Criquette Head and ridden by her son Freddy Head.
Open to 2yo’s and older the Prix Abbaye is Europe’s principal sprint, run over a straight 1000m, and this year has attracted five 2yo entries headed by the Fabrice Chappet trained colt Acapulco Gold.
In winning a listed 1000m Vichy event Acapulco Gold finished fourth in the Prix Morny and is joined by the Jane Soubagne trained filly Livachope on 46kg having won the Prix du Bois at Longchamp.
