Group Ones abound on Arc undercard

With no standout performer in the line-up for Sunday's Group 1 Prix de

l'Opera at Longchamp, it could be time for the admirable Tasaday to step into

the limelight after a season chasing some talented rivals.

Godolphin's reliable performer was third in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches

over a mile here and fourth in the Prix de Diane over a more suitable 1

5/16-mile trip before registering a pair of 10-furlong wins in Deauville's Prix

de Psyche and Prix de la Nonette. Third taking on Arc hopeful Treve in the Prix

Vermeille over a mile and a half, the gray will be battling at the business end.

"Tasaday has a solid chance on form, but she will need to run up to her very

best to win this championship race," Godolphin's Racing Manager Simon Crisford

commented. "She is coming into the contest after a good preparation."

Secret Gesture was usurped by stable companion Talent in the Epsom Oaks prior

to filling the role of bridesmaid again in the Preis der Diana at Dusseldorf.

Fast ground may have been against her when a non-threatening third in the

Yorkshire Oaks last time, and the highly regarded filly has another opportunity

to live up to her earlier promise.

Silasol has a fine record here, having won the Prix Marcel Boussac on this

card last term and the Prix Saint-Alary. She was denied a clear run when sixth

in the Vermeille last time.

After the Arc, the Group 1 Prix de la Foret offers punters the chance to

recoup any losses as Moonlight Cloud heads to post as the hot favorite.

Better this term than ever before, George Strawbridge's three-time Prix

Maurice de Gheest and Prix du Moulin and Prix Jacques le Marois heroine also

excels over this track and about seven-furlong trip over which she is

four-for-six. It will be a major shock if she is unable to extend her winning

tally.

Trainer Freddie Head, who is also represented by the supplemented Prix Paul

de Moussac-winning Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa), told PA Sport, "She is very well, I

don't think she could be better. She is the same as she was in August.

"She loves the track -- it's a special track, the seven-furlong one at

Longchamp. It goes downhill so she can lob along and finish with that tremendous

turn of foot she has. I think seven is the right distance for her. A mile is

just the end of it and six is a bit sharp, especially at Ascot."

As for Anodin, a full brother to the incomparable Goldikova, Head said, "We

supplemented because the owners were keen for him to run and you never know what

might happen. The horse is very well, I am looking forward to seeing him over

seven furlongs.

"He stays in training next year, which I am happy about, as I think he will

make a very nice four-year-old."

Last year's winner Gordon Lord Byron returns on the back of an emphatic

success in the September 7 Haydock Sprint Cup, but he was no match for Moonlight

Cloud when third in the latest renewal of the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville

August 4. Trainer Tom Hogan is nonetheless in a bullish mood.

"I was bowled over with the ease of his win at Haydock, and he came out of it

tremendously well," he said. "He has been in great form since and he has such a

great cruising speed, he could win a Group 1 over five furlongs but I'm sure

he'll get a mile.

"He has improved this season and he had a rough trip over before the Maurice

de Gheest, where he ran the last furlong quicker than the rest. Moonlight Cloud

is very good, but she doesn't holds any worries for me, and I think we can beat

her."

Gordon Lord Byron is joined by compatriot Viztoria, who comes into this a

fresh filly having been lightly campaigned prior to her latest success in the

Park Stakes at Doncaster.

"She's in great form -- she's fresh and well and will handle the ground --

but we're under no illusions it's a tough ask for her," trainer Eddie Lynam told

PA Sport. "She's taking on the queen of Europe, and there are plenty of other

good horses in the race as well, but she deserves a crack at it."

In a typically open renewal of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere,

Karakontie has vital pattern-race experience to call upon today as he bids for

the title of his country's leading juvenile.

After defeating subsequent Prix des Chenes winner Ectot on debut over seven

furlongs at Compiegne at the beginning of July, he lost out by a short head to

the talented British raider Bunker in Deauville's Prix Francois Boutin before

returning to winning ways in the Prix la Rochette. He dealt with some lofty

reputations in that course-and-distance "prep" and has the plum inside draw

here.

One who has come from left field this term is the Spanish sensation Noozhoh

Canarias, who extended his unbeaten run with a totally dominating display in the

Criterium du Bequet over six furlongs at La Teste de Buch August 5 and he

warrants respect.

That also applies to any colt that Aidan O'Brien sends over, having

registered seven successes in this contest which was formerly known as the Grand

Criterium. The last of those was Holy Roman Emperor, and his son Wilshire

Boulevard has the task of bearing the Ballydoyle standard this time.

Successful in the Anglesey Stakes from his better-fancied stable companion

Oklahoma City over an extended six-furlong trip at The Curragh, the bay looked

in need of further when a strong-finishing runner-up in the Gimcrack Stakes at

York August 24.

"He should get the extra furlong and we are hoping for another good run,"

O'Brien said.

The Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac offers an intriguing cast of future star

distaffers, and one who could take high rank is the  unbeaten Lesstalk In

Paris.

A debut winner over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville, she followed with an

authoritative performance in the Prix d'Aumale over a mile on soft ground at

Chantilly, but will be tested by some serious rivals here.

They include another with a perfect record in the Royalmania, who did not

quite match the visually striking nature of her eight-length debut score over 7

1/2 furlongs at Deauville when doubling up at Chantilly September 10.

"She is a very nice filly and I think she will be very good next year,"

trainer Freddie Head told PA Sport. "At the moment she is still quite fragile,

but she has got a lot of talent, so we will see how she runs on Sunday.

"The ground should not be a problem for her, as long as there is not a lot of

rain. If it is just on soft side like we think it will be, that will be good."

Also perfect at present is Veda, who, like the owner-breeder The Aga Khan's

former luminary Zarkava, heads into this on the back of a debut win. That came

over this course and distance September 11 and she could be anything, but she

lacks the experience of many including the battle-toughened Sandiva. Sheikh

Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani's color-bearer finished runner-up in the six-furlong

Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot before going one better in Deauville's Prix du

Calvados over seven furlongs August 17.

 "I'm a bit worried about the trip in soft ground, but only because

she's never done it before," trainer Richard Fahey told PA Sport. "She's very

relaxed at."

The Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp is once again expected to be booked

for export to Britain, with nine of the last 11 renewals collected by that

country.

Heading the cross-channel raid this time is Jwala, who caused a 40-1 upset in

York's Nunthorpe Stakes August 23 after a string of consistent efforts at a

lower level and one excusable blip in Goodwood's King George Stakes three weeks

prior to her career-high. Jockey Steve Drowne, who has already won this aboard

Patavellian and Avonbridge, is hoping she can build on her shock success.

"The (York) form is rock-solid and the time of 57-and-change in that sort of

ground was good and the word is very good," he said. "She is very quick and

that's what you need in the Abbaye, which has been a lucky race for me.

"It takes a bit of getting in the ground, but her best form is when it is on

the slow side even though she is a very good mover. I don't want it boggy, so I

hope its dry now up to the race."

Adding strength to the British invasion is a colt who is already proven in

France in Reckless Abandon. Having annexed last year's Prix Robert Papin at

Maisons-Laffitte and Prix Morny at Deauville, as well as the Middle Park Stakes

and Norfolk Stakes on home soil, he has not enjoyed a straight run this term,

but could make up for lost time on this first outing since finishing fifth in

the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot June 18.

"I believe he will enjoy the ground and even though five furlongs is slightly

short, it being soft will help me," jockey Gerald Mosse commented. "He is the

quality horse of the race and the trainer tells me his form is coming back."

He has ground to make up on the Irish raider Sole Power on the King's Stand

form, but that veteran, who was third in 2011 and fifth last year, will not

appreciate this easy surface as much as the three-year-old or his compatriot

Maarek. Last year's British Champions Sprint winner bounced back to his best

last time when taking Newbury's World Trophy over five furlongs on this type of

surface, and jockey Declan McDonogh is hoping he can maintain that level.

"The way he finished there, he will be flying at the death if they go fast,"

he said. "He was very impressive at Ascot last year, and there is no doubting

his ability."

The Group 1 Prix du Cadran appears a tight contest which will inevitably

favor a strong stayer with a touch of class and that applies to the British

challenger Times Up.

Nurtured by John Dunlop to the heights of Lonsdale Cup and Doncaster Cup

success in 2012, son Ed managed to conjure another win in the latter contest

September 13 and he is hoping he can continue his run of form.

"Times Up bounced back to form at Doncaster," he said. "How he handles the

step up in trip is unknown. The race is late in the afternoon, after the Prix de

l'Arc de Triomphe, and therefore the ground will almost definitely be slow. He

goes with a great chance and we are very hopeful."

High Jinx tries again, having finished runner-up in all three of the

aforementioned races won by Times Up. He was second in this last year and will

appreciate any further easing in the ground, which also applies to Tac de

Boistron.

Switched to Marco Botti this year, the Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock

acquisition booked his ticket here with an emphatic eight-length success on a

testing surface in the Stand Cup over an extended 12 furlongs at Chester

September 14.

Heading the home defense is last year's Prix Royal-Oak hero Les Beaufs, who

was more conservatively ridden when second in the Prix Gladiateur over nearly

two miles here September 15.

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