Longchamp Arc trials overflowing with stars

On a day at Longchamp which sees the strongest assembly of runners for the

Arc trials in recent memory, the Group 1 Prix Vermeille takes center stage of

the trio of preps, and the prestigious affair in its own right has a leading

lady to match in Treve. Bought by Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani after her

scintillating Prix de Diane triumph at Chantilly in June, the unbeaten talent

received a significant subsequent boost when the four-lengths runner-up

Chicquita took the Irish Oaks.

"Everything has gone well since the Prix de Diane, she worked very well with

Frankie Dettori on board two weeks ago," trainer Criquette Head-Maarek told PA

Sport. "He liked her and said she has got a great turn of foot. If she wins, or

runs well, we might then go for the Arc.

"It is raining here, but I don't like to make excuses as I think a horse can

win on every ground if they are good enough. She won on soft ground as a

two-year-old and I don't think it will be too bad. She has a good draw in stall

three. She's a very easy filly to train, she's like a little bicycle -- you can

put her anywhere you want."

Heading the older brigade is Romantica, who captured the Prix Jean Romanet

over 10 furlongs at Deauville August 18, but whose only finish out of the frame

was when ninth in this race 12 months ago. Also from the Andre Fabre stable is

Tasaday, who built on third- and fourth-placings in the Poule d'Essai des

Pouliches and Prix de Diane, respectively, when scoring decisively over 10

furlongs at Deauville in both the Prix de Psyche and Prix de la Nonette.

Third in the Diane, Silasol reserves her best for this circuit, as she showed

when winning the Prix Marcel Boussac last October and Prix Saint-Alary May 26,

and may have needed her first run off a break when fourth in the Prix Guillaume

d'Ornano at Deauville August 15.

Two overseas raiders who have major claims are Irish and Yorkshire Oaks

runner-up Venus de Milo and Wild Coco, who has looked bound for this level for

some time and flaunted her natural talent when recording an easy comeback win in

Goodwood's Lillie Langtry Stakes over 14 furlongs at the start of August.

Despite his serious accomplishments already, there is a sense that the major

tests lay ahead for Flintshire and he preps for the Arc in the Group 2 Prix Niel.

Successful in the Grand Prix de Paris over this track and 1 1/2-mile trip July

13, the homebred was impressive in that contest, but the form appears dubious at

present, and that race can be less than competitive for its grade.

Taking him on is Epsom Derby winner Ruler of the World, but he is another who

may be flattered by winning a weak renewal of a prestigious race. He has not

been since trailing in fifth in the Irish Derby at The Curragh June 29, but if

he is back on his best form is closely matched with Flintshire on a line through

Ocovango.

"He's in good form and is ready, having had a nice break," trainer Aidan

O'Brien said. "He has handled cut in the ground and we'd like to get him out

provided the ground isn't bad."

Ocovango was virtually the same distance behind both colts when fifth at

Epsom and third in the Grand Prix de Paris and met trouble on both occasions,

but it may be that Andre Fabre, whose 10 winners of this longstanding trial for

the autumn showpiece include the subsequent Arc heros Trempolino, Subotica,

Carnegie, Sagamix, Hurricane Run and Rail Link, has something of more interest

in Triple Threat, who seems to have overcome his issues with the stalls and

brushed aside Pilote in the 10-furlong Prix Eugene Adam at Maisons-Laffitte July

21. That form was boosted when the runner-up was second fiddle again behind

another Fabre trainee in Vancouverite in Deauville's Prix Guillaume d'Ornano

last month.

In an unusually deep renewal of this contest, it is impossible to ignore

Kizuna. Prepared by Shozo Sasaki for this project since winning the May 26 Tokyo

Yushun, he will be fulfilling a personal dream for Yutaka Take if he can better

his sire's effort in the main event in three weeks' time.

"He's where he should be for a trial, I'd say at about 85 percent," Sasaki

commented. "In the beginning when he first got to France he was pretending to be

meek and quiet, but now that he's used to things he's acting up again. In a good

way, he's the same. I'm looking forward to seeing how well he can do.

"The Arc almost always favors three-year-olds. Kizuna is mentally strong and

can handle all the difficulties that go along with racing overseas. That is why

I asked the owner to enter him in the race."

Widely considered to be unlucky not to have won last year's Arc, Orfevre is

back at Longchamp to begin putting matters right as he warms up for his latest

tilt at that feature in the Group 2 Prix Foy. Runner-up in the Japan Cup and

successful in the Sankei Osaka Hai at Hanshin in March, the wildly talented but

wayward performer has not enjoyed a perfect build-up, as he has bled at home and

recently suffered a kick to his nose by his work companion.

"Last year, he acclimatized to his surroundings immediately and this year is

the same," Yasutoshi Ikee explained. "He remembered it all himself and found the

environment familiar. He's a year older and he's more powerful.

"After the Osaka Hai, things weren't easy but I see his movement and how his

heart and lungs are now and there are no problems. We had a lot of trouble this

year but, going into a trial, I'd say he's in relatively good shape."

One interesting rival to overcome as he bids for back-to-back renewals is

Camelot, who was almost retired after his second straight defeat in 2013 when

fourth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. The colt, who almost

landed an English Triple Crown on this weekend 12 months ago, has been given

another chance to redeem his reputation, which was dented initially by a

seventh-placing in the Arc, which preceded a serious bout of colic.

Having reportedly taken a long time to recover from that life-threatening

attack, he has a clean sheet to work from now but it remains to be seen whether

his three-year-old exploits took place against a crop of limited ability.

"The plan is to run, but we're not going to run him in bad ground," trainer

Aidan O'Brien warned Saturday. "We're going to go over and walk it first and

make the decision."

The reliable Dunaden returns from a holiday, having chased home the

subsequent King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Grosser Preis von Baden

hero Novellist in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

 "It was a good run last time, especially with the way Novellist won at

Ascot, and I'm hoping he can run well on Sunday," trainer Mikel Delzangles told

PA Sport. "After that, we will know which way we go next, if we go to the Arc or

if we go back to Australia."

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