John Gosden’s two potential contenders for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday moved in opposite directions in the betting on Monday, as news of a dry forecast for Paris in the run-up to Europe’s middle-distance championship event worked its way into the ante-post market.
Golden Horn, the Derby winner, will run if the ground in Paris is “good-to-soft or better” according to his trainer, and is now no better than 5-1 for the Arc from a best price of 6-1 on Monday morning. Golden Horn does not hold an entry for Sunday’s race and will need to be supplemented on Thursday at a cost of €120,000 to join the field but the improving ground conditions will encourage Anthony Oppenheimer, his owner, to pay the fee.
Jack Hobbs, by contrast, is entered in the Arc but Gosden feels the colt is better with some ease in the going. The Irish Derby winner can now be backed at 12-1, having been the 6-1 second-favourite behind Treve, the Arc winner for the last two seasons, after his effortless success in the September Stakes at Kempton. Treve remains odds-on at 10-11 to win her third Arc with most bookmakers but is evens with Paddy Power.
Solow, the ante-post favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day, is “very well” after a racecourse gallop at Maisons-Laffitte racecourse on Monday afternoon. Freddy Head’s gelding, who is unraced since his victory in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in July, will be attempting to extend his winning run to nine races at Ascot on 17 October.
“Maxime Guyon [Solow’s jockey] was very pleased with him and said his action felt good and all is well,” Head said. “It was a strong piece of work with two companions, they went a good pace. The ground would have been good to soft and he appears to have kept his form really well, despite being on the go since March. I couldn’t be happier with him. I just hope there is a little bit of soft in the ground at Ascot and to be fair there usually is in October.”
There were two supplementary entries on Monday for the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, including Esoterique, the winner of the Prix Jacques le Marois in August and the probable favourite if she lines up this weekend.
“The plan is for Esoterique to run and I am told that the ground is likely to be good,” André Fabre, the filly’s trainer, said on Monday. “She is training well and I am delighted with her at the moment.
“I am hesitating over running Miss France [last year’s 1,000 Guineas winner] in the Sun Chariot Stakes or going for the Prix de l’Opera [at Longchamp] the following day. She could still be a bit short of her peak fitness.”
Realtra, who took the Group Three Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster earlier this month, has also been added to the race by Roger Varian, bringing the possible field to 10 runners.
