THE results suggest that a horse needs to be drawn six or lower to have a realistic chance of winning the Arc de Triomphe in a big field on fast ground. Any wider and they are at major risk of being hampered or forced wide.

The last 11 times the ground was fast enough to produce a time of 2m 27.4 or less the winner was drawn eight or lower. The seven times that 15 or more runners lined up on ground that fast the winner was drawn six or lower. I don’t think this is acceptable for the world’s most important race.