02/10/16 Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Jean-Cloude Rouget

1:10 Chantilly – First Of Spring 9/1

I have run her twice over 6 furlongs because there were no races over 7 furlongs. I didn’t really want to take her to England, because I don’t like my two-year-olds to be exposed at that age. I prefer to prepare them for their three-year-old season. I think she is a good filly, but this will be her first real test. She certainly seems very capable and I do like her.

★★★★☆

1:10 Chantilly – Toulifaut 4/1

Toulifaut is a good filly and will run in the Prix Marcel Boussac. She won a group 3 in good style. She is actually going through the Arc sales. I’m finding it difficult to split my fillies, it will be an interesting race. I think she will like good ground. She has a good turn of foot that she displayed in the Group 3 when she quickened two furlongs out. She has a bit of experience now, which should serve her well in the Boussac.

★★★★☆

2:20 Chantilly – Jemayel 6/1

Jemayel is going to run in the Prix de l’Opera. She was third in the Nassau, which was a very good performance, especially on a very undulating track. She has been in good form since her last start. I think she likes good, good to soft ground. It’s going to be a tough race this year, but she is the winner of the Saint-Alary and was third in the Nassau, so she is a good filly. This is the right race for her.

★★★★☆

Roger Varian

3:05 Chantilly – Postponed 2/1

Postponed has thrived throughout the season and he has done everything we have asked of him so far. He has trained to his usual high standard in the build-up to Sunday and I couldn’t be happier with his condition as heads into the biggest race of his career.
The minor blip that ruled him out of defending his King George crown has been well documented, and while the result of the race showed he was ready to run at York, it is fair to expect some improvement on that performance.
The horse is versatile in terms of ground, but he has shown his best form on a sound surface, which it looks like being at the weekend. Stall seven is virtually a central draw, which allows us options, while Andrea has the most brilliant relationship with the horse and he knows him better than us all.
The Arc is a tremendously difficult race to win and this year’s renewal looks full of quality. That said, I feel Postponed is the rightful favourite and I hope everything is in place for him to run with great credit, which I am sure he will do
★★★★★


Richard Hannon

5:15 Chantilly – Coultsy 40/1
He is obviously up against it on the form book but he is in rude health at home and we would be delighted if he could snatch a place. He has won a Group 3 over in France and he seems to mostly run well over there.
★★☆☆☆

Ryan Moore

13:10 Chantilly - Promise To Be True

She wasn't at her best in the Moyglare last time, her first start since winning a Group 3 for me at Leopardstown in July. There may have been excuses that day and I think she is a lot better than she showed at the Curragh. I was pretty impressed with her the time before that.

I think she is a filly with a big future, and I expect her to go well here, especially as this step up to 1m will also suit her.

★★★★☆

13:45 Chantilly - Whitecliffsofdover

Won his maiden at Naas at the start of August and ran well on his first start back in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket last week. That was a pretty bunched finish but I thought he shaped very well to finish a staying-on second there after his seven-week break.

He is a nice, big, strong colt who won't mind at all if the ground is good or on the fast side - in fact he will enjoy it - and the step up to 1m will suit him, too. There is more to come from him, and he should go well.
★★★★☆

15:05 Chantilly - Found

She ran one of her better races when an excellent second to Almanzor in the Irish Champion Stakes last time, and she simply looks rock-solid to me.

Postponed is obviously the one we all have to beat as, if anything, he is getting better to judge from his Juddmonte win. If he runs up to his best then he is much the likeliest winner, but this can be a very rough race and, as the favourite, he does have a target on his back, if you know what I mean.

Found had a nightmare run in this race at Longchamp last season. They cantered for the early part of the race and she had no run throughout, and finished on the bridle. But she showed what she can do over this trip when beating Golden Horn in the Breeders' Cup Turf in Keeneland. She may have finished second in her last five starts, all in Group 1 company, but I can tell you that this has been her primary target all season, and if she is at her best here then I don't expect her to be far away.
★★★★☆

16:35 Chantilly - Washington DC

If Mecca's Angel reproduces her Nunthorpe form then I can't see anything beating her, for all that Just Glamorous is improving and the likes of Profitable have solid enough claims. But we all know how luck in running plays a big part in these sprints.

Washington DC is a very solid Group 1/2 sprinter, having finished an excellent third in the Commonwealth Cup, fifth in the July Cup and a narrow second in the King George at Goodwood this season. I thought he was finally going to get his head in front at the Curragh last time, only for him to be nailed close home.

If Mecca's Angel underperforms for any reason, then this is up for grabs, and I'm one of those with a chance, though I'm not sure if my draw in 15 is a help.

★★★★☆

Ryan Moore’s view of the pther Arc runners

I'll take you through the rest of the field in racecard order.

New Bay finished third in this race last season and warmed up for a repeat bid when a good fourth in the Irish Champion last time but I think he will come up short again.

Migwar looks outclassed but I think the 25-1 available about Highland Reel is a big price for a King George winner. Stepping up to 1m4f will be in his favour, as will decent ground, and I imagine he will be well-positioned throughout.

One Foot In Heaven is one of the rank outsiders, but he is probably the most interesting of the big-priced horses, or at least he was until I saw the video of his last of four to Silverwave in the Foy. They went a crawl and he was badly positioned in last all the way - a typical French trial - but even so it was a moderate effort, even if it was his first run after a summer break. He was a progressive horse earlier in the season though, and I thought he was unlucky when sixth to Silverwave at Saint-Cloud in July, where he met trouble in running. I have a feeling that he could outrun his massive odds.

I won the French Derby around here on The Grey Gatsby in 2014 but he doesn't quite look the same horse these days, and I'd be surprised if the Foy winner Silverwave was good enough.

Order Of St George gave me a great feel in the Gold Cup but he was below-par in the Irish St Leger and, for all his class, I think he could find 1m4f on quick ground too sharp for him, while Siljan's Saga doesn't look good enough.

Harzand was below form over 1m2f at Leopardstown last time but you would have to think this dual Derby winner will be more at home over this trip. You have to respect him, clearly, and Vedevani is a pacemaker.

Talismanic finished fourth in the French Derby, won his prep race in Listed company last time and is trained by Andre Fabre. The latter fact alone means he has to be respected but he looks some way short of what will be required to win this race as it stands.

German Derby runner-up Savour Vivre also looks lacking in this class, as probably does Vermeille winner Left Hand, for all that she is lightly-raced and unexposed at this trip.

I have left Makahiki until last because he is the unknown of the race. You don't really get to know how strong the Japanese 3yo form is until they meet the older horses, and that doesn't happen until the big domestic races in November. But he showed a good turn of foot to win their Derby, so I was expecting a bit more from him in the Niel last time.

I know they said he was basically only half-fit there, and he won anyway, but I was hoping to see a little more myself. I still expect him to be bang in the mix here though, as he has a lot of potential, though whether he should be second favourite is debatable.