THE Arc was just one of several Group 1s across the weekend at ParisLongchamp, and the other supporting races punched pretty hard also.

Anapurna returned to winning form on Saturday in the Qatar Prix de Royallieu, seemingly helped by the increase in distance (to one mile and six furlongs) and a front-running ride, though the fractions she set were fair at best. She responded generously when required and ran a 107 overall time, boosted to 113 on sectionals.

The second Delphinia and third Enbihaar end up with the same sectional rating, having come from a bit further back.

Just how tactical the Qatar Prix du Cadran was is reflected by the fact that the first three home in the race over almost two and a half miles all ran the final 600 metres faster than any horse managed in the mile-shorter Arc the following day.

Holdthasigreen (37.84s last 600 metres) emerged victorious under a superb front-running ride, but should have been beaten by Call The Wind (36.99s).

The former gets a 116 figure on the back of those sectionals but the latter, who had won this the year before under a much better ride, is now rated 130 and would be a danger even to Stradivarius among stayers on his day.

Group 2 winners Skalleti (109 on sectionals) in the Qatar Prix Dollar, The Revenant (124) in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein and Technician (114) in the Qatar Prix Chaudenay were other good performers on the opening day at ParisLongchamp.

The Revenant is a particularly interesting runner for what remains of the season, after he showed a terrific turn of foot (22.95s for last 400m on testing ground) to account for the very smart trio Olmedo, Shaman and Impulsif by four and a half lengths and more.

He has now won his last six, beginning in the French Provinces, having been with Hugo Palmer in Britain as a two-year-old.

This year’s Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp was one of the oddest races I have come across, not just because 90% of the action was obscured to racegoers at the track, or that the course graphic had number one Sestilio Jet as the winner rather than number 11 Glass Slippers, but because sectionals say the leaders went too hard, and yet Glass Slippers was the one making the running and went on to score by the sizeable margin for a sprint of three lengths.

Even a fairly cautious view has Glass Slippers on 125 after sectionals have been factored in, which is just three below Ten Sovereigns (from whom she would receive weight if they met).

The draw probably had an effect – not for the first time in this race – with stall three beating one, four and five in a field of 16, and Battaash (notably relaxed in the preliminaries) ran no sort of race, so it seems prudent to wait for confirmation that this was as good as it looked.

Villa Marina (115) won a messy Prix de l’Opera, in which Fleeting and Watch Me (both 118) come out better than her after fast late sectionals are allowed for.

One Master repeated her win of the year before in the Qatar Prix de la Foret, gamely by half a length from City Light, though the overall time did not compare well with the concluding handicap. A sectional upgrade plus a bit of creativity has been employed to get her up to a more representative 121 figure (City Light on 120).