3.05 QATAR PRIX DE

L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE

(GROUP 1) (3YO+ COLTS

& FILLIES) of

€5,000,000. 1M 4F.

Twelve months on and the venue may be different – as the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe returns to a revamped, gold-tinted Longchamp – but the result is likely to be the same as Enable repeats her 2017 triumph.

When I first set eyes on Enable last April in a six-runner conditions race at Newbury, I was convinced at having witnessed the springboard for a glittering career for a Juddmonte Farms-bred filly trained by John Gosden.

However, my gaze was on the winner, Shutter Speed, rather than her stablemate, Enable, who finished only third yet has been a convincing winner of all seven of her subsequent starts, including two classics and five Group 1s!

Her 2018 campaign has been truncated owing to a minor injury in the spring. Indeed, her only appearance was in the Group 3 September Stakes just four weeks ago.

Quite what firm conclusions can be drawn from what amounted to a match I’m not sure, but the fact that Enable’s solitary credible rival that day was none other than Crystal Ocean, neck runner-up in the King George, and that he was put firmly in his place by three and a half lengths, eased down, is an indication that Enable has lost none of her prowess.

SHARPNESS

Her lack of race sharpness would be a big worry if this was a strong Arc field. But both the French defence of, and the Japanese challenge for, Europe’s richest race look weaker than usual.

Ireland’s hopes are led by the admirable St Leger winner, Kew Gardens, though this thorough stayer will surely lack the basic speed to ruffle Enable’s feathers.

Aidan O’Brien also saddles the 2017 hero of that Doncaster classic, Capri, but he posted a lacklustre effort over this course and distance on his comeback from a long lay-off three weeks ago.

The other three O’Brien trainees are the pacemaker, Nelson; the much-travelled Hunting Horn; and Magical, who needs this step up from a mile to make a massive difference.

Enable apart, the best of the four-strong British contingent is the Irish Oaks heroine Sea Of Class, trained by William Haggas. She was impressive when taking on older fillies for the first time in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, but even that two-and-a-quarter-length defeat of Coronet gives her something to find when you bear in mind that Coronet was nine lengths behind Crystal Ocean in the King George.

Although the Irish Champion Stakes fifth and Prix du Jockey Club winner, Study Of Man, will surely relish this longer trip, the French three-year-old colts do not look a vintage crop so the best chance of a home win lies with Andre Fabre’s three-pronged older horse assault and in particular with Waldgeist, who readily beat the other two, Talismanic and Cloth Of Stars, in the Prix Foy.

However, while the 12/1 on offer for the late-developing Waldgeist following the Foy looked a tasty each-way option, the current 7/1 is less appetising.

SELECTION: ENABLE

Next Best: Waldgeist