YOU do not need to have bought into the hyperbolic remarks regarding Enable’s bid for a historic third success in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp last Sunday ultimately to feel trifle deflated by the race itself.

Not only were Ghaiyyath, Love and Magical not there, but four of the 15 actually declared were withdrawn due to concerns about possibly contaminated feed.

It ended up looking like an open goal for Enable, and she spurned it much like Diana Ross did in the opening ceremony to the 1994 FIFA World Cup (one for the older readers there).

That may have been down to the ground, which was heavy on the Saturday but slightly less so by the Sunday. The Arc proved to be the slowest since 1976 and the fifth-slowest since the Second World War (one for the even older readers).

That said, one of Enable’s best ever efforts had been on the softest ground she had encountered until last Sunday, when thrashing Ulysses in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in 2017.

The slow time also had a bit to do with the pace, which was tepid, to say the least. Persian King got to set it and clung on for third despite having looked a doubtful stayer. Enable ranged up early in the straight but then nothing much happened as others quickened and she did not.

Sottsass – third 12 months earlier in a strongly-run race on good to soft going which might have taxed his stamina, but beaten more often than not since – responded best, running a 107% finishing speed and holding off In Swoop by a neck, with Enable only sixth.

Standards

There are various ways of assessing the performance, but neither form standards nor times speaks especially highly of a race in which about two lengths covered the first four.

In addition, sectionals suggest that In Swoop, who came from further back than the winner, should just about have won.

In the end, and after factoring in those sectionals, I have gone for 120 on Sottsass, which is back to his previous best rather than an improvement on it, with In Swoop on 121, Persian King on 114 here (and 120 previously), fourth-placed Gold Trip on 118, fifth-placed Raabihah (who was set plenty to do again) on 110 compared to her previous 115, and Enable running to just 105 when even her more recent efforts had her on 122.

That is substandard for a race usually won with a performance in the mid-120s, but perhaps the main protagonists will prove that to be pessimistic hereafter.

One thing the Arc did do was frank the form of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at this course in September, when In Swoop and Gold Trip had filled the places behind Mogul (one of those late withdrawals at the weekend) in a race run in a very fast time. Mogul has been promoted to 122 by me as a result.