Taghrooda gets wide draw in Arc

Taghrooda will have to overcome a wide stall in 15 as she bids for glory in

Sunday's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. The homebred Epsom Oaks

and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine fares worse then her

Yorkshire Oaks conqueror Tapestry, who rewarded the opportunism of her owners'

supplementary entry by drawing 8.

Taghrooda's rider Paul Hanagan is happy that the three-year-old will fare

well in the hustle and bustle of Sunday's race and said, "She won't shy from

anything -- she can hold her own. She's a big filly who rides like a colt."

Angus Gold, Shadwell's Racing Manager, added, "We'll take what we're given

and there is no point making a fuss about it. We might be better where we are

than being stuck on the inside, but so much will depend on how the race is run.

If she's in the same form as she was going to Ascot for the King George,

obviously she'd have a massive chance. She's put on a lot of weight since York,

where I felt she wasn't moving as well as she had been and Paul said she didn't

feel the same throughout."

Gold drew comparisons between Taghrooda and the operation's 1990 triple

classic heroine Salsabil.

"I've been here 28 years now and Salsabil is the only other filly of that

class we've had," he said. "She might have had a bit more speed than Taghrooda,

but I'm not sure she had much more class."

Gold makes no secret of his regard for the race and added, "For me, the Arc

is the greatest race in the world. There are so many good horses and so many

imponderables, but our filly has done absolutely nothing wrong through her life.

She stays well, she's got a lot of class, she's got a turn of foot and she's got

a fantastic attitude, which makes such a difference."

Only two winners since 2001 broke from a double-figure stall, and one of

those was last year's heroine Treve, who breaks from 3 as she bids to emulate

the last dual winner, Alleged, who completed the double in 1978. She represents

Al Shaqab Racing, who also have a share in one of the leading three-year-old

colts Ectot. Gregory Benoist will be on board the impressive Prix Niel scorer,

who is in stall 10 next to his pacemaker Montviron, leaving Christophe Lemaire

to ride Avenir Certain. That Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane

heroine will have to overcome a tricky draw in 1. Benoist made the draw for the

Elie Lellouche-trained Ectot today and he was delighted with the post position.

"That was just what I was hoping for and I can make a plan now," he said.

Gerard Augustin-Normand's Racing Manager Sylvain Vidal stands Le Havre at his

La Cauviniere establishment and he told PA Sport, "We are just so happy to have

two very good horses for what is one of the best races in the world. We bought

Ectot as a yearling, but we bred Avenir Certain here on the farm. Her sire is Le

Havre, who we have here and a mare from the farm, so of course it would be

special if she were to win. It's like a dream and now we just have to wait for

Sunday." 

Of Benoist's decision to opt for Ectot over the filly, he added, "I think

Gregory had a really hard choice. Ectot is a very special horse, he has had just

two runs this year and is improving all the time. Avenir Certain has won the

French Guineas and the Prix de Diane, so she has already done plenty this year.

It would be very hard to pick between the two of them. We love them both. We

have no worries about the ground, it should be fine for them both."

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