CHANTILLY - SUNDAY

12.55 Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert (Group 3) 3yo+ 5f

There is nothing that truly stands out in this trial for the Prix de ‘Abbaye de Longchamp and most of the field of 13 are old rivals. The five-furlong track at Chantilly is slightly uphill early on so more testing than the sprint track at Longchamp.

The English quartet should capture some of the spoils. Goldream took the Abbaye last year and has not won since. He ran third in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and under half a length in front of the fast-finishing fifth, Marsha. She has not been out since, but Goldream went on to be a well-beaten seventh in the Nunthorpe at York.

The veteran Mirza dead-heated for this in 2013 and won it outright the following year. Mirza took the Prix de Meautry at Deauville last year and has not won since. Just Glamorous runs in a group race for the first time and won three handicaps in July. Catcall is the most experienced French sprinter in the race but he needs testing ground to show his best.

He won an amateur riders’ race here in June and was a well beaten seventh to Damila in the Prix du Ris-Orangis in July at Maisons-Laffitte, where Ross Castle was fifth and Gammarth plum last. Damila found the six and a half furlong distance a little long but she still managed a respectable seventh in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. Spiritfix is just held by Mirza on their running in a listed race at Deauville and the improving Gold Vibe is on a hat-trick after two victories in condition races.

Selection: MARSHA

Next best: Damila

2.00 Qatar Prix Niel (Group 2) 3yo colts and fillies 1m 4F

All eyes will be on the Japanese colt Makahiki, who on October 2nd will attempt to become the first Japanese-trained winner of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The son of Deep Impact has been impressing those who have seen him in action on the Chantilly gallops and he has settled in well since flying to France at the end of August. He should make a winning debut in his temporarily adopted country and will have the help of Japan-based Christophe Lemaire who knows Chantilly well. Makahiki also has plenty in the form book.

He has won three of his outings this year, most recently the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May, and has not been out since. His main rival looks likely to be the English visitor Midterm. This lightly-raced son of Galileo was a Group 3 winner in April and is another not to have been seen out since May. He was favourite for the Dante Stakes at York but could only manage fifth place and was later found to have sustained a stress fracture to his pelvis. Doha Dream is being stepped up considerably in class after two eye-catching successes in listed events at Nantes and Vichy.

The same comment can also be applied to Darabad, who hit his pinnacle at Clairefontaine last month where he picked up the Listed Grand Prix. Carzoff looks to have an impossible task but will still pick up €4,550 if fifth and last. He won at Chateaubriant and was fourth in a conditions race at Deauville in August.

Selection: MAKAHIKI

Next best: Midterm

3.10 Qatar Prix Vermeille (Group 1) 3yo+ fillies and mares 1m 4f

Another small field for this Arc trial where a couple of four-year-olds take on a quartet of their juniors. Endless Time (William Buick) has been sent over from Newmarket. The filly won the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks but was only a shadow of herself when a distant ninth in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Candarliya is a model of consistency and she comes back to her best trip. The daughter of Dalakhani won the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil in July and was not given a hard time when runner-up in the longer Prix Kergorlay at Deauville in August. Left Hand was below form at the beginning of the season but showed her best when second to La Cressonniere in the Prix de Diane. She has since gone on to win the Prix de Psyche at Deauville and will be running over a mile and a half for the first time.

Highlands Queen was disqualified in the Diane having caused the fall of another runner and Buick was suspended for 30 days. The filly has now shown her true worth again with an impressive victory in the Prix de Pomone at Deauville where she proved her stamina over this distance.

Golden Valentine is going from strength to strength and followed a listed success with another win in the Group 3 Prix Minerve at Deauville where she easily accounted for The Juliet Rose. She had previously landed the Prix du Royaumont over this course and distance before a very unlucky run in the Diane.

Selection: HIGHLANDS QUEEN

Next best: Candarliya

3.50 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Group 1) 3yo+ colts and fillies 1m

A fascinating mile where Alain de Royer-Dupre has a strong hand to play as he saddles both Zarak and Trixia. An international touch is added by the presence of the English colt Dutch Connection and the German filly Spectre. Zarak has been brought back to this distance after finishing runner-up to the Irish Champion Stakes candidate Almanzor in both the longer Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano.

He has won over the trip on two occasions and was fifth to The Gurkha in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains. A Group 3 winner last year, Trizia was ill at the beginning of the season but came back to her best with a last stride win in the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey at Deauville and she must have come on considerably since. Vadamos will be one of the favourites following his half-length second to Ribchester in the Prix Jacques La Marois at Deauville.

The five-year-old had previously landed the Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud and the Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte. Dutch Connection won the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and then did not have the pace late on when fifth in the shorter Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

Zelzal was behind Zarak in the Poulains but has since excelled with wins in the Prix Paul de Moussac and the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over this course and distance when Spectre was third. She has been underrated having won the Prix Imprudence, been fifth in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and, most recently, fourth in the Jacques Le Marois.

Selection: ZARAK

Next best: Trixia

4.25 Qatar Prix Foy (Group 2) 4yo+ colts and fillies 1m 4f

This race has not been a good guide to the Arc de Triomphe for some time and there is a below average field of just four on this occasion.

This includes the supplementary German entry Ito who is guaranteed at least €9,100. Silverwave will be one of the leading fancies as he won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in which sixth placed One Foot In Heaven pulled before having a poor run in the straight. He had previously won the Grand Prix de Chantilly over the course and distance. Elliptique won at Group 1 level at Munich, where he won the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis, but his previous form in France had been pretty moderate.

Ito has also made it to the top in his home country and his trainer in form. At Munich last year, he ran away with the Grosser Preis von Bayern and took the Group 2 Gerling Preis in May at Cologne.

Tactics will play a large part in the result of this race and it is difficult to believe than any of the four runners will play a leading role in the Arc.

Selection: ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN

Next best: Silverwave

5.05 Qatar Prix Gladiateur (Group 3) 4yo+ 1m 7f

This staying event is the warm up for the Prix du Cadran and, once again, there is a small field with one outstanding horse among the six runners in the form of Vazirabad. He reeled off seven victories on the trot in just 10 months and looks in a different class to his opponents.

The gelding reached the top for the first time when he landed the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud last October and then the son of Manduro went to Meydan where he won the Dubai Gold Cup before another Group 2 success in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.

He was then raced in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July but found the trip way too short before taking seventh place. Joint top-weight Mille Et Mille captured the Prix du Cadran last year from Kicky Blue.

He was then thrashed by Vazirabad in the Royal-Oak and has not won since although the six-year-old was a brave fourth to Order Of Saint George in the Gold Cup at Ascot. Walzertakt won this race a year ago.

He is without success since and is easily held by Vazirabad and Mille Et Mille on subsequent form. The German raider was fifth in the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville last month. Settler’s Son and Nahual perform at this level for the first time but the former was a listed winner over the course and distance last time out.

Selection: VAZIRABAD

Next best: Mille Et Mille