Arc Day Preview: Walk in the park for Finsbury

Prix Marcel Boussac

The list of recent Prix Marcel Boussac winners reads like a who’s who of future top-class fillies, the race won by the likes of Zarkava (2007), Elusive Kate (2011) and Found (2014) prior to the win of Wild Illusion – the favourite for Sunday’s Prix de l’Opera – 12 months ago.

As you’d expect from a 12-strong field of some of the best two-year-old fillies, nearly all are still open to improvement, with two thirds of the line-up retaining a Timeform ‘p’ attached to their rating.

Hermosa, a sister to Hydrangea, has progressed with each start this term, improving on her efforts in the Debutante and Moyglare when landing the Weld Park Stakes at Naas (by two and a half lengths from Foxtrot Liv) last weekend; it’s worth noting that two of her trainer's four previous winners of that race (Imagine and Qualify) landed the Epsom Oaks during their three-year-old campaigns.

Moyglare fifth Zagitova is already proven over this distance and should relish the step back up in trip; she’s an obvious pace angle, and may prove hard to pass. Impressive Gowran maiden winner Pink Dogwood – a sister to Latrobe – further reinforces Aidan O’Brien strong-looking team.

Godolphin have fared well in recent renewals of the Marcel Boussac. Ceratonia shaped as if she would benefit from a stronger gallop when second to the unbeaten Rocques in a trial for this race last month. She looks a bigger danger than May Hill flop Dubai Beauty.

Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere

The Jean-Luc Lagardere over the same mile trip sees the colts take centre stage, and unfortunately just two of the nine entries are trained in France. While Shaman looks to be flying too high, the unbeaten Anodor made a good impression when winning the Prix de Crevecoeur at Deauville, often a strong newcomers’ race (both placed horses have won since, including the very promising Persian King) and he readily maintained his unbeaten record when winning the Prix des Chenes (Shaman third) over C&D last time.

Aidan O’Brien has saddled eight winners of this race (not including Gleneagles who was demoted to third in 2014), and potential superstar Anthony Van Dyck looks his main hope in pursuit of another. He won the Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown in July and Futurity Stakes at the Curragh (by half a length from Christmas) in August, and produced his best effort yet when one and a quarter lengths second to Quorto in the National Stakes at the Curragh last time.

Until next year for Quorto - the Group 1 @Goffs1866 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes winner will be put away for the remainder of the season ahead of a 2000 Guineas bid next...

pic.twitter.com/lpoICcQ4Uf

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 26, 2018

There’s nothing of that rival’s quality here and Anthony Van Dyck is fancied to see off the unbeaten Boitron. The last-named has run to a smart level right from the get-go, but the form of his Newbury listed win is modest and he will need to take a big step forward now upped in trip if he is to maintain his winning run.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

Enable is the red-hot favourite to defend her crown, but do the trends back up her bid? Simon Rowlands takes a look at the Arc, as well as several other of the afternoon’s races in his Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day Factfile. Meanwhile, John Ingles reviews Andre Fabre’s unparalleled Arc record and what the strong showing by his contenders in the recent Longchamp trials might mean.

Prix de l’Opera

The Prix de l’Opera is one of the closer races on the card in terms of weight-adjusted ratings, with just 13 lb separating 15 (of the 17) runners.

Last year’s winner Rhododendron has plenty to prove after a season which promised so much when she won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury (by a short head from Lightning Spear) in May. She lost her action in the Prix Jean Romanet and only took a baby step in the right direction when sixth to Roaring Lion in the Irish Champion Stakes last time, denied a clear run after losing a good early position.

Of more interest is With You, who was fifth to Laurens in the Prix de Diane. With You has since won the Prix Rothschild at Deauville and was far from discredited when third to Alpha Centauri in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville last time.

Wild Illusion won the Marcel Boussac (at Chantilly) last year and was rewarded for a string of fine efforts at the top table, including finishing second in the both the Oaks and the Ribblesdale Stakes (four lengths behind Magic Wand) at Royal Ascot, when winning the Nassau at Goodwood last time by two lengths from Urban Fox, responding well when challenged under two furlongs out.

Nonza springs a surprise in the Group 1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet to win for Henri Devin & Alexis Badel. Urban Fox a close second for William Haggas.

Results  ➡️ https://t.co/7iJOPsdIyZ pic.twitter.com/bPdovudbMw

— Racing UK (@racing_uk) August 19, 2018

Magic Wand looks set to drop in trip here after a near miss in the 1½m Prix Vermeille here last time and is respected, while Pretty Polly winner Urban Fox has been kept fresh for this assignment since finishing a neck-second to Nonza in the Romanet, a race that was won by Speedy Boarding en-route to her 2016 win in this contest.

The best value, though, lies with 20/1 shot Lady Frankel who encountered all sorts of traffic problems when fourth in the Romanet, done no favours by a retreating Rhododendron before stopped on the rails. She was third in this race last year at a big price and looks to have been trained for the race once more; she can become Andre Fabre’s first Opera winner since 1997 (Clodora).

Prix de l’Abbaye

We need to talk about Kevin Battaash. The Charlie Hills-trained sprinter is favourite to retain his crown in the Prix de l’Abbaye, but he’s 6/4-against rather than 6/4-on for a reason; another Nunthorpe flop. He remains with three outstanding efforts over the last year or so, on those clearly the best five-furlong performer for many a year, and hopefully he will show that level again here, albeit at a different venue to 12 months ago.

Perhaps surprisingly for a race that is all about speed, Battaash’s win was the first all-the-way success since Tangerine Trees made all in 2011. The latter’s half-brother Alpha Delphini, who won the Nunthorpe by a nose from Mabs Cross last time, is respected, while there could be some value with the King’s Stand fourth Finsbury Square who is priced at 20/1. He was only seventh in this race last year (fourth the season before) but arrives here fresher than most after only four starts this season, one of which was a career-best effort on his first start for Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez (the original trainer of Equiano, before the horse transferred to Barry Hills after his first King’s Stand win).

Diamond Jubilee runner-up City Light, who hasn’t been at this best in two starts since but bumped into an exciting filly in Tantheem last time (who has been supplemented for this), and two-year-old speedball Soldier’s Call, who receives a lot of weight, also command plenty of respect.

Prix de la Foret

The Prix de la Foret trophy has been taken back to the south of England four times in the last seven years, with Ireland’s Tom Hogan also borrowing it for season, but the raiding party looks to have it all to do to rein in the Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Polydream.

Second in the Marcel Boussac 12 months ago, Polydream followed in her dam’s footsteps when disappointing in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on her reappearance (failed to settle), but showed much improved form when winning the Prix du Palais-Royal over C&D (by one and a quarter lengths from Inns of Court) in June. She progressed again when following up in the 20-runner Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last time by half a length from James Garfield and is the clear one to beat.

Freddy Head's Polydream catches the George Scott-trained James Garfield right on the line in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville

Results ▶️ https://t.co/7iJOPsdIyZ pic.twitter.com/Nw7IexRqHX

— Racing UK (@racing_uk) August 5, 2018

James Garfield failed to handle conditions on his drop back in trip in the Sprint Cup last time, and is better judged on his effort at Deauville, while Inns of Court was below his best when third to Tornibush in the Prix du Pin over C&D last month.

Teppal won her first three starts, including the Pouliches here (much improved, by short neck from Coeur de Beaute,), but has something to prove after being well held in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen.

Perhaps of more interest is Sir Dancealot. Connections may regret running him in the Sprint Cup last month, as he struggled with both the pace and ground on his return to sprinting, but he has been given the longest break of his season since and is very capable of bouncing back.

Gustav Klimt was also run off his feet early at Haydock, but he responded well to run on for a never-nearer third, and is very much at home at this level. This looks an ideal race for him – there aren’t too many Group 1s over this trip – and he could prove to be overpriced at a general 9/1, especially if the likes of Karar, James Garfield and Geniale make set a strong gallop.

Recommended bets:

Back Lady Frankel each-way in the Prix de l'Opera at 20/1

Back Finsbury Square each-way in the Prix de l'Abbaye at 20/1

Back Gustav Klimt to win the Prix de la Foret at 9/1