THE picture for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October 1st will be much clearer after tomorrow’s meeting at Chantilly where three trials for Europe’s richest race will take place over the course and distance.

The Qatar Prix Vermeille has attracted 11 fillies and mares and looks wide open. Six of the runners are trained in England and John Gosden will saddle both Journey and The Black Princess. It could be significant that Frankie Dettori is on the former who, back to her best, must have a leading chance.

Last October, Journey won the Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares by four lengths from Charlie Appleby’s Endless Time who will also be in the line up tomorrow. This year, Journey has run just twice. She was a reasonable fifth in the Investec Coronation Cup and then made favourite for the 10-furlong Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. Things did not go according to plan in Ireland and her rider that day Kevin Manning, dropped his whip, and the daughter of Dubawi could never get going off a slow pace. She is now back to her best distance.

The Black Princess knows Chantilly as she took the Prix Allez France back in April. She comes into this off a win in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock where she beat subsequent Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess, who reopposes again today.

The Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Left Hand is going for back to back wins in the Vermeille. Last year, she was half a length to the good of Endless Time who will try and take her revenge this time. The Godolphin mare’s latest success came in the Lilly Langtry at Goodwood and she is sure to stay.

On a line through Dubka, who finished second to Endless Time at Goodwood, the Francis Graffard-trained Bateel is of interest. She was sent to France this year and was not flat out when picking up the Prix de Pomone from Traffic Jam at Deauville.

God Given looks the best of the three-year-olds lining up. This improving half-sister to Postponed gave Luca Cumani a lot of pleasure when she won the Group 3 Prix Minerve at Deauville. She has improved on each of her last three runs and will need to come forward again if she is to have a say here.

PRIX NIEL

It could be a day to remember for John Gosden as he runs Cracksman in the Qatar Prix Niel, which has not been a good guide to the Arc in recent seasons. Just five colts line up for this trial and Cracksman looks like the one they will all have to beat. He may well give Gosden and owner Anthony Oppenheimer a bit of a dilemma if he streaks past the post, given their initial plan was to preserve the son of Frankel for next season.

Cracksman placed in the Derby at Epsom and in its Irish equivalent but most recently was a very impressive winner of the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. He arrives in Chantilly on the crest of a wave.

Andre Fabre has two runners. Finche is also a Frankel and an improving one. He did not start his career until mid May and most recently was a comfortable winner of the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam at Maisons-Laffitte where Fabre’s other Niel runner, Avilius, finished third. The latter has since taken the same place behind Eminent in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville. Both Fabre colts will be running over a mile and half for the first time.

Ice Breeze has already won over the course and distance and since ran fourth to his old rival Shakeel in the Grand Prix de Paris. The German runner Walsingham has much more to find in the form book. He won a listed race at Bremen and was then runner-up in a similar contest at Dusseldorf.

PRIX FOY

The Japanese have been trying to win the Arc for some time and this year Satono Diamond will be the nation’s big hope. He runs in the Qatar Prix Foy, not a particularly good guide to the Arc and which has attracted just six runners including last year’s winner, Silverwave.

Satono Diamond’s trainer Yasutoshi Ikee was the trainer of Orfevre, who was twice runner-up in the Arc. Satono Diamond has settled down well at Chantilly and his work is up to scratch. Last year, he won the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) and the Grade 1 Arima Kinen, run over 12 and a half furlongs. This season the four-year-old has won a Group 2 race and finished third to Kitasan Black in the Group 1 Tenno Sho at the end of April. Japan-based Christophe Lemaire will be on board the son of Deep Impact.

Andre Fabre is going for his ninth Foy with two Godolphin colts. Cloth Of Stars has not been out since the beginning of May when he landed the Group 1 Prix Ganay. This improving son of Sea The Stars has been set aside for an Autumn campaign.

The other Fabre runner is Talismanic. He was beaten by Silverwave in the Grand Prix de Chantilly but has since won the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil. Silverwave went on to be runner-up in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud but is held by Cloth Of Stars on Ganay form.

The German visitor Dshingis Secret is smart and won the Grosser Preis von Berlin last time out.

PRIX DU MOULIN DE LONGCHAMP

The Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp is a fascinating affair where four British-based horses take on the same number of French.

The Maktoum family owns half the field, including Massaat. Off the track for over a year, Owen Burrows brought the colt back to win the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last month. Ribchester is no stranger to France where he won the Prix Jacques Le Marois last year. This season the Lockinge and Queen Anne have gone his way and the colt was then runner-up in the Sussex Stakes on very bad ground.

The third in that race, Lightning Spear, has been supplemented by his trainer David Simcock. Since the Sussex, the six-year-old returned to Goodwood where he won the Group 2 Celebration Mile.

Inns Of Court finished second in this year’s Jacques Le Marois, which is a good guide for the Moulin. The Godolphin three-year-old was just touched off by stablemate Al Wukair with the well-fancied Taareef back in fifth place. Inns of Court is very much on the upgrade but the horse who finished fifth in the Deauville Group 1, Taareef, may be worth another chance.

Jean-Claude Rouget completely wrote off the race for the son of Kitten’s Joy who pulled his way out of contention. Stablemate Zelzal was totally unsuited by the going when fourth in the Sussex and well held before by Taareef in a Group 3 race at Chantilly.

Harry Dunlop has campaigned his French bred Robin Of Navan with great success in his country of birth. He was a Group 3 winner over 10 furlongs here in June but well-beaten in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The only filly in the race is Lady Frankel. She had a terrible run in the Group 3 Prix Lieurey but still managed to have her head in front on the line.

The Group 3 Qatar Prix Gladiateur and Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert are, respectively, trials for the Prix du Cadran and the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp.

Vazirabad reappears in the former but it is big ask as he must concede weight to his seven rivals after a break of over three months due to a training setback. The English contingent is made up by Nearly Caught, Flymetothestars and Vent de Force.

The English sprinters in the Petit Couvert are Kyllang Rock, Lady Macapa, Evil Spell and Fashion Queen. The best of the French are likely to be Cox Bazar, Facilitate and Gold Vibe.

CHANTILLY SUNDAY

PRIX VERMEILLE (GROUP 1)

Selection: JOURNEY

Next best: Bateel

PRIX NEIL (GROUP 2)

Selection: CRACKSMAN

Next best: Finche

PRIX FOY (GROUP 2)

Selection: CLOTH OF STARS

Next best: Satono Diamond

PRIX DU MOULIN DE LONGCHAMP (GROUP 1)

Selection: RIBCHESTER

Next best: Taareef

PRIX GLADIATEUR (GROUP 3)

Selection: NEARLY CAUGHT

Next best: Vazirabad

PRIX DU PETIT COUVERT (GROUP 3)

Selection: COX BAZAR

Next best: Fashion Queen