Deep Impact puts in final Arc work

Japanese Horse of the Year DEEP IMPACT (Sunday Silence) came through his final serious

work ahead of Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) with

flying colors and connections are looking ahead to the Longchamp showcase.

Having covered six furlongs of the Chantilly racecourse under big-race partner

Yutaka Take, the four-year-old delighted trainer Yasuo Ikee.

"I am quite satisfied with Deep Impact's final preparations," Ikee said. "He

is in very good shape. All the staff, including myself, were very pleased to

hear Yutaka say that he got a very good response from Deep Impact today. We will

do our best from now until the race day to make him 100 percent fit for the

race."

Take, who has ridden the Japanese champion in all of his five domestic Group

1 successes, was impressed.

"I think this is the best work he's done since arriving here," Take

explained. "I won't talk about his draw because if I say what I wish for, it

probably won't come true, but I would rather it didn't rain before the race."

The final field was reduced to 11 on Wednesday after

Predominate S. winner Championship Point (Lomitas [GB]) was scratched by Mick

Channon. The about 1 1/2-mile event also will not feature Prix d'Astarte (Fr-G1)

and Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1) heroine Mandesha (Desert Style). Conditioner Alain de

Royer-Dupre revealed on Wednesday that the sophomore filly would not be supplemented

at Thursday's stage.

"We want to keep her in training as a four-year-old, when the 2007 Arc will

be her target," Dupre explained.

As a result, Christophe Soumillon will partner

Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) and Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) winner SHIROCCO (Ger) (Monsun),

while Frankie Dettori will be on St Leger S. (Eng-G1) victor SIXTIES ICON (Galileo

[Ire]), who will be added at the supplementary stage.