StableTalk

I realised I never posted Friday's review. STRADIVARIUS enjoyed a paid canter when DEE EX BEE was a late scratching from the Group 2 Doncaster Cup. To his credit, Oisin Murphy on CLEONTE, who had won the 4400m Queen Alexandra at the Royal meeting tried to mix it up and get STRADIVARIUS racing too early but Frankie Dettori has seen it all before and never allowed Murphy's jockey tactics get to him, CLEONTE went for home 600m out but STRADIVARIUS cruised up on the bit and eased away for a length and a half success.

The plan is the Stayers Race on Champions Day if the ground doesn't come up soft or heavy and then a final tilt at the main staying races including the Gold Cup before a swansong in next year's Arc.

At the other end of the scale, A'ALI made it a double for Dettori with an easy win in the Flying Childers over 1000m. The heavy ground did for him in the Morny and this was a solid performance seeing off DREAM SHOT. The fancied ALLIGATOR ALLEY looked ill at ease on the quick ground and was well beaten. A'ALI us heading for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita over 1000m where he will mix it with the American speed balls on the grass.

Starting the Sunday review and I'll kick off In Ireland with a stellar card at The Curragh for the final day of Irish Champions Weekend and in many ways the climax of the Irish season. Four Group 1 races took place on ground which was good to firm as the warm dry spell over here continued.

The opening Group 1 was the Flying Five over 1000m. CASPIAN PRINCE, as he so often does, broke well and stretched them for 800m and if we had 800m races he would be a champion but unfortunately we don't and as they reached the final 200m he was done with but Ryan Moore got a good run out of FAIRYLAND and she came home strongly to just hold off SO PERFECT in another 1-2 for Aidan O'Brien. INVINCIBLE ARMY ran well in third as did SOLDIER'S CALL in fourth. Favourite SOFFIA travelled well into the race but got caught in the run 200m out and lost valuable momentum. She kept on for fifth beaten just under three lengths with MABS CROSS, for whom I think the ground was too firm, in sixth.

FAIRYLAND has threatened to win a big race all season - she ran in both the English and Irish 1000 Guineas before running fifth in the King's Stand and third in the July Cup. She's all speed but I thought 1200m might be her trip but clearly not despite the fact she won the Cheveley Park as a juvenile. SO PERFECT is another speedy 3-y-o filly who has run well in top company including fifth in the July Cup and this was her best effort since running third to FAIRYLAND in the Cheveley Park last year.

Yet FAIRYLAND is 10/1 for the Champions Sprint and SO PERFECT is 33/1 which I don't understand. INVINCIBLE ARMY and SOLDIER'S CALL both ran well and I'd still fancy MABS CROSS for the Abbaye if we had slow ground in Paris in three weeks.

The first of the big juvenile races was the Moyglare for the fillies over 1400m. This proved to be another benefit for Ballydoyle as LOVE scored for Ryan Moore but it was a typical Ballydoyle effort with TANGO setting the early pace and LOVE close behind while favourite DAAHYEH set further off the pace and just had too much ground to make up when the pace quickened 300m down. LOVE won by three quarters of a length with SO WONDERFUL, who didn't enjoy the clearest of runs, a further half length back in third. The unbeaten ALBIGNA was disappointing in sixth. LOVE probably didn't enjoy the slow ground when beaten in the Debutante last time but she looks a serious player on fast turf. She's in the Fillies Mile at Newmarket while DAAHYEH has all the options. I'm to be convinced either is a star in the making but it's very early days.

The National Stakes is the equivalent race for the juvenile colts over 1400m and it saw an intriguing clash between the top English colt, PINATUBO and the Aidan O'Brien pair of ARIZONA and ARMORY but it was no contest as PINATUBO was always travelling strongly in midfield and quickened on 400m out coming away to win by nine lengths. Now, you don't get many horses winning 1400m Group 1 races by nine lengths and this was one of the best performances by a juvenile I've seen in a long time. He's in the Dewhurst and if he is as authoritative in that he will go into the winter a very short price for the 2000 Guineas. On breeding he should get 2000m and might even get 2400m but that's a long way off.

The Irish St Leger over 2800m has been open to older horses for some years (unlike the English counterpart) and this year's renewal had only one 3-y-o but SEARCH FOR A STAR put her older and supposedly better rivals in their places with an authoritative win travelling strongly from midfield into the lead 400m out and coming away to win by two and a half lengths. She had run fourth in the Irish Oaks and then won the Galtres at York but this was a bit step forward against some decent older horses. She's in the Fillies & Mares on Champions Day at Ascot for which she's now 8/1 but if she is kept in training she looks a nice prospect.

To be fair, she was getting 12 lbs from the older colts and as IL PARADISO showed at York, weight for age may not be a perfect regimen but it does help brings the generations together. KEW GARDENS chased her home and ran a perfectly respectable race in defeat with SOUTHERN FRANCE third and CROSS COUNTER fourth beaten a total of four lengths. LATROBE came home sixth and it was sad to see old CAPRI trail home last. The question really is whether the weight concession made the difference - it's easy to argue it did but it may be SEARCH FORA STAR is a rapidly improving filly who may just be up to challenging the very best next year.

TARNAWA won the Group 2 Blandford Stakes and has rebuilt her season after a disappointing effort in the English Oaks.

I'll review the Arc Trials day races tomorrow.

Continuing the review of yesterday's action and it's off to Longchamp for Arc Trials day.

The ground had improved to good and the card opened with the Foy, the trial for the older horses over 2400m. Just four went to post with King George third WALDGEIST favoured over the Japan Cup winner KISEKI. In the end, it was no contest - KISEKI led to 300m out but Boudot always looked comfortable on WALDGEIST and readily went on drawing away to win by a couple of lengths under hands and heels. This was a very satisfactory trial and he's 10/1 for the Arc which is a fair price. He's always come off worst against ENABLE and he was beaten about the same at Ascot this year as he was in the Arc last year. he could very easily run a place and I might be tempted at 10s or bigger but he needs a good draw and decent ground.

The Niel was the trial for the 3-y-o and featured Jockey Club winner SOTTSASS and his pacemaker, VERONESI, set decent fractions and was still five lengths ahead at the top of the straight. Christophe Demuro was on the inside on SOTTSASS and got himself nicely boxed in and it looked as though it was all going to end in tears but as MUTAMAKINA tried to edge past VERONESI the gap opened and SOTTSASS quickened nicely through to win in the end a shade cosily. I'm not sure this was the strongest Niel but the Jockey Club winner did it well and will be an obvious player in the Arc. He's now 6/1 with MAGICAL in joint third favourite position with JAPAN second beat at 5s and ENABLE 8/11 to record her third Arc.

So much depends on the draw - assuming s 20 strong field, you need to be drawn 5-10 in my view to make best use of the track. A very high draw is a real disadvantage but so is a very low draw if you have don't have early pace. It's a race not to play in until you see the draw but WALDGEIST looks a solid each way option if he gets a reasonable pitch.

The Group 1 feature was the Vermeille, known as the Fillies' Arc, run over the 2400m but for fillies and mares. This year's renewal featured the winners of the English, French and Irish Oaks in the forms of ANAPURNA, CHANNEL and STAR CATCHER along with the very useful FLEETING and PINK DOGWOOD so this was a good race. From the start, and I spoke about the draw a moment ago, Frankie Dettori got STAR CATCHER out from the inside berth and into a prominent position leading after 600m from TAMNIAH and PINK DOGWOOD with ANAPURNA and CHANNEL in mid-division.

Dettori isn't one of the best jockeys in the world for no reason and he rode another brilliant race from the front. He asked STAR CATCHER to extend from 500m down by which time ANAPURNA was already under pressure and beaten. PINK DOGWOOD weakened as FLEETING came to look a real danger but she had raced wide throughout and her run petered out at the 200m mark and it was MUSUS AMICA, who had sat last early, who came with the last challenge but STAR CATCHER was away and won by three quarters of a length.

She's a rapidly improving filly and could yet be supplemented for the Arc which might give trainer John Gosden a headache or two but would be a chance for owner Anthony Oppenheimer to enjoy a second Arc win after GOLDEN HORn in 2015 and his progeny are already making a mark in his freshman season. I suspect both the English and French Oaks winners have had their time in the season though ANAPURNA has done her best running on slower ground.

Just a quick note OLD PERSIAN earned a 33/1 quote for the Arc after winning the Northern Dancer at Woodbine on Saturday night. On paper, he doesn't look good enough but it's hard to see where else Godolphin are going to find a chance.

A quieter week ahead as you might expect and at the weekend we have the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes for the juvenile colts over 1200m at Newbury. 14 have been entered for that and it's huge handicap time in Scotland with the Ayr Gold and Silver Cups on Saturday and the Bronze Cup on Friday. The best I can offer on Sunday is the Group 1 Preis von Europa in Cologne over 2400m.

Eight go to post for the Group 2 Mill Reef at Newbury on Saturday over 1200m for the juvenile colts.

It's a poor race in all honesty - MYSTERY POWER won the Group 2 Superlative at Newmarket but was beaten a very long way by PINATUBO at Goodwood but I suspect none of the others would do any better. PIERRE LAPIN is favourite after a taking debut at Haydock but that was at the end of May which is a long time. If he has gone on he will have a chance but he has a lot to prove.

IMPRESSOR and MALOTRU have won maidens but this should be a lot tougher - the more I look at it the more I think MYSTERY POWER at 4/1 is a decent bet.

Ten go in the Preis von Europa, the German Group 1 over 2400m, on Sunday. The German Derby winner LACCARIO was beaten a very long way by GHAIYYATH in the Grosser Preis von Baden and this time he faces BEST SOLUTION who won the 2018 Caulfield Cup before running eighth at Flemington. He didn't run badly at Kempton the other day in a warm Group 3 and he has claims but I prefer ASPETAR who was fourth in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud which reads well in this company.

Okay - back from a lovely holiday with Mrs Stodge. We needed a break but, bless her, she arranged it at just the wrong time for the racing fan in her life. We returned yesterday evening so I'm having to catch up the last two weeks of autumn championship racing up here so here goes.

September 21st -22nd

The Mill Reef at Newbury went to PIERRE LAPIN who showed a nice turn of foot on the quick ground to hold off MYSTERY POWER. I'm not sure either are world beaters at this stage and PIERRE LAPIN took a lot of time to get over his maiden win. Trainer Roger Varian indicated he would be put away for the winter so he ends up in the "could be anything" file.

The Preis von Europa on the Sunday went to the Roger Charlton trained ASPETAR but with the German Derby winner LACCARIO a late scratching and BEST SOLUTION disappointing this was perhaps an even weaker Group 1 but ASPETAR broke the track record on unseasonably quick ground for Germany. The trainer indicated afterward the gelding could be doing more travelling as a 5-y-o and there are plenty of pots to hunt for outside Europe if the travelling isn't an issue.

September 26th - 29th

A busy weekend with the three day Cambridgeshire Festival at Newmarket taking centre stage. On the second day there were two Group 2 features - the Rockfel for the juvenile fillies over 1400m saw DAAHYEH return to winning ways after her defeat in the Moyglare at The Curragh. This was a gutsy effort but I'm far from convinced 1600m will suit and she looks a speedier type to me. It was a 1-2 for trainer Roger Varian but the one for me to take from the race was the runner up STYLISTIQUE, a Dansili filly who ran well over 1300m at Doncaster last time but this was a big step forward. I think the easier ground helped as did the trip and she's one to have in mind when assessing the 1000 Guineas prospects.

CLOAK OF SPIRITS and UNDER THE STARS were close behind in third and fourth but both have come up short against the very best this season and I do wonder if they may be handicappers more than Group horses next year but we'll see.

The other Group 2 was the Joel Stakes over 1600m for the older horses. KING OF COMEDY went off a short priced favourite having been runner up in the St James's Palace and fourth in the Juddmonte but he broke slowly and never looked comfortable and was brushed aside by BENBATL who put up a huge performance leading from trap to line and winning by five lengths. BENBATL had been off over a year since the 2018 Cox Plate when he was second to a certain WINX. Previously BENBATL had won the Ladbrokes Stakes beating BLAIR HOUSE who had narrowly beaten him in the Jebel Hatta in the spring of 2018.

Needless to say, this was a hugely pleasing return and he'll go to a race like the Queen Elizabeth II or the Champion Stakes much fresher than most. I don't know if another Meydan campaign is on the cards but as a rising 6-y-o and an entire there can't be many more days at the office. KING OF COMEDY raced like a horse who was fed up with racing and I wonder if York took it out of him or if he was thinking about other things.

Saturday saw the final day of the meeting with two Group 1 races for the juveniles, a strong Group 2 and the Cambridgeshire Handicap, an 1800m sprint with 30 runners. The Cheveley Park is a Group 1 for the juvenile fillies over 1200m. RAFFLE PRIZE has been at the top of the tree in this division since winning the Queen Mary and while she lost out to EARTHLIGHT (of whom more anon) in the Morny, she went off a shade of odds on back against her own gender. Ryan Moore was soon in front on TANGO but Dettori was always close by on RAFFLE PRIZE and went on 600m out. However, she never quite broke clear and as the hill came the alarm bells were ringing. From the back, Shane Foley got the Jessica Harrington trained MILLISLE rolling and she readily cut down RAFFLE PRIZE in the final 100m and won by a length and three quarters.

The French raider TROPBEAU didn't get the clearest of runs but came through to finish third just in front on TANGO. MILLISLE had been beaten in a Listed race at Salisbury so this was a huge step up in form. A fluke perhaps? The coming of the Commonwealth Cup makes races like the Cheveley Park less like Guineas trails then was the case a few years back so horses with genuine 1600m aspirations head for the Rockfel rather than this. RAFFLE PRIZE is clearly all speed but the likes of TROPBEAU and MILLISLE are harder to figure at this time which is part of the glorious uncertainty oft his time of year up here.

The Middle Park is the colts' equivalent race. This looked a serious race on paper and the best juvenile race since the Morny which EARTHLIGHT had won. He now faced THREAT who had won both the Gimcrack and the Champagne, the unbeaten Irish raider SISKIN and MUM'S TIPPLE, who had caused a real stir when winning a sales race at York by eleven lengths. Add into the mix the likes of GOLDEN HORDE and MONARCH OF EGYPT and this looked the best renewal of this race for some years.

Drama began at the start when SISKIN got upset and had to be withdrawn. KING OF NEPTUNE had been entered as a pacemaker by Aidan O'Brien to ensure a ferocious gallop for MONARCH OF EGYPT and Wayne Lordan went hard from the gates but ended up racing apart from and ignored by the others. GOLDEN HORDE was soon prominent while EARTHLIGHT and MUM'S TIPPLE sat off the pace. 400m out and GOLDEN HORDE was the first to come under a ride and it got a little short for space for LOPE Y FERNANDEZ and MUM'S TIPPLE. THREAT never got going but Mikhael Barzalona got a real run out of EARTHLIGHT and he led just inside the 200m pole.

To his credit and admittedly with the rail to help, GOLDEN HORDE fought back and the two fought to the line but you always felt EARTHLIGHT was doing enough and he won by a neck. Rank outsider SUMMER SANDS belied his 100/1 odds by running on for third just in front of 66/1 pacemaker KING OF NEPTUNE. Behind them, some fancy reputations were left in the long grass - THREAT was well held in fifth and MUM'S TIPPLE weakened to seventh with the two other O'Brien runners LOPE Y FERNANDEZ and MONARCH OF EGYPT, sixth and last respectively.

That's the thing about these 2-y-o championship races in the autumn - time has moved on, the ground is often different and it's a long season and it can be brutal for those who enjoyed the high life in midsummer. EARTHLIGHT emerges as the top 1200m juvenile colt but he's in the shadow of PINATUBO at this time. Fabre has always thought EARTHLIGHT would be a Guineas horse and you'd just wonder if PINATUBO might be more of a Derby type but the clash between them (when and if it comes) will be fascinating.

GOLDEN HORDE got a little closer to EARTHLIGHT than he did at Deauville and ran a fine tough race as he was one of the first to come off the bridle. I'd love to see him over further but we'll see as trainer Clive Cox is a fine trainer of sprinters.

The supporting Group 2 was the Royal Lodge over 1600m for the juvenile colts. I used to rate this as a Derby trial when it was run on the round course at Ascot but I'm less convinced now. Aidan O'Brien provided three of the seven runners but it was KAMEKO who went off 6/5 favourite after a strong finishing second in the Solario at Sandown but to be honest he gave the race away by pulling too hard in the early stages. Jockey Oisin Murphy tried to settle him but the damage was done and in the final 50m he was worn down by 16/1 shot ROYAL DORNOCH, the complete outsider of the field. The winner was with the pace throughout and is obviously a potential stayer but I certainly wouldn't give up on KAMEKO who, with a winter on his back and some time, may yet prove a very nice prospect at middle distances.

There was a huge gamble on the 3-y-o LORD NORTH, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori in the Cambridgeshire and that was duly landed and he's a gelding who could well go on to much better things at 2000m next season.

The build up to the Breeders Cup at the beginning of November continued with the trials meeting at Belmont. IMPERIAL HINT set out his claims for the sprint when winning the Vosburgh while CODE OF HONOR was awarded the Jockey Club Gold Cup after a barging match with VINO ROSSO. As to whether either will win the Classic, we'll see but the 3-y-o have looked an ordinary bunch this year so far.

Sunday saw the final Group 2 of the Irish season, the Beresford over 1600m for the juvenile colts. With the ground Heavy after overnight rain, only five went to post and it looked a match between INNISFREE and SHEKHEM who had clashed at Gowran Park last time but the result was the same as INNISFREE just got home in the final 100m. SHEKHEM ran a little free in the early stages which didn't help but he ran a tough race and the first two are probably decent colts for next season.

On then to Arc weekend and we'll cover the big day in the next post but for now it's all about Saturday's action.

Before Paris, a quick stop at Newmarket where a week of rain had turned the ground Good to Soft. A weaker card, it has to be said, between the juvenile championship meetings, but it still featured a Group 1 in the Sun Chariot over 1600m for the filies and mares. This was a strong race featuring the last two 1000 Guineas winners in BILLEDSON BROOK and HERMOSA along with Matron winner IRIDESSA and multiple Group 1 winning filly LAURENS who won this race last year but for whom this was the swansong.

Not surprisingly, LAURENS was bounced out into the lead. HERMOSA and VERACIOUS kept close order at what I could call a steady gallop in the early stages. 500m out and HERMOSA came under a firm raide from Ryan Moore but VERACIOUS travelled strongly up to and past LAURENS with 300m left. However, Sean Levey had kept BILLESDEN BROOK covered and she challenged in the final 100m and drew clear to win a length and three quarters. IRIDESSA kept on well for third.

LAURENS finished sixth which was ultimately disappointing but she has won seven Group 1 races and will doubtless have plenty of options at the paddocks. I suspect we've seen the last of HERMOSA as well who I think never really came back from her earlier exertions but she still won two classics,

IRIDESSA has ended the season well - I thought she'd do better in the spring but she has her 3-y-o Group 1. VERACIOUS won the Falmouth and ran another fine race here. As for BILLESDEN BROOK, the wheel has turned full circle for this filly. She was an unconsidered 66/1 shot when winning the 1000 Guineas in 2018 and endured her time in the wilderness but re-discovered her form this year and won the Lennox at Goodwood last time but this was arguably her finest effort beating a quality field.

I suspect for a number of these this will be the end of their racecourse careers but it's entirely possible one or more will throw a champion in the years to come - we'll see.

Off then to Paris and with six Group 1 races on the Sunday, two of the championship races now take place on the Saturday. The Royallieu has now got Group 1 status after a long campaign by the French authorities and this race for fillies and mares over 2800m attracted a strong field with John Gosden fielding three of the fancied runners. ENBIHAAR had won the Park Hill at Doncaster last time while ANAPURNA had won the English Oaks before a poor run in the Vermeille while LAH TI DAR had been no match for ENABLE at York. The home team fielded the likes of MUSUS AMICA and MUTAMAKINA while DELPHINIA looked the pick of the Aidan O'Brien runners.

In the end, it was a Frankie Dettori masterclass as he set out from the front and made virtually all on ANAPURNA. He kept wide of the churned up ground on the inside which bogged down William Buick and LAH TI DAR but he still kept enpough in reserve to withstand the late challenges of ENBIHAAR and DELPHINIA who got to her quarters but no further. I though ENBIHAAR took a false step near the line which cost her second place but the winner had won the Lingfield Oaks Trial on soft ground and the Epsom classic on genuinely good ground. She's an underrated filly (unsurprising in a yard with such a bounty of talent among the fillies and mares) and I hope we'll see her at Ascot in a couple of weeks.

ENBIHAAR has farmed lower grade Group races but did well at the highest level and DELPHINIA has developed late for Aidan O'Brien and I wonder if they'll give her another year to fulfil her potential.

The Cadran over 4000m is the French Gold Cup and with no STRADIVARIUS to contend with, DEE EX BEE looked the one to be on over this extended trip. The field contained most of the local usual suspects and it was HOLDTHASIGREEN (second in 2018) and MILLE ET MILLE (winner way back in 2015) who, along with DEE EX BEE, set a gentle early gallop. In truth, very few got into this as HOLDTHASIGREEN was given a well judged ride and managed to make every yard. DEE EX BEE was ridden in the straight but just couldn't pick up in the soft ground and lost second to CALL THE WIND, who won this last year beating HOLDTHASIGREEN but this year the places were reversed. It was a right old slog in the ground and some of these French stayers would probably do well jumping hurdles or fences in the UK.

WHO DARES WINS was five and a half lengths back in fourth while the Irish raider FALCON EIGHT was close behind in fifth and CLEONTE faded tamely to finish seventh.

The Group 2 races started with the Dollar over 1950m. Just six went to post and LINE OF DUTY was expected to give the raiders a good start to the meeting but he was disappointing in third as SKALETTI won for Pierre Charles Boudot. The horse has been making his way through the grades this year but this was his first attempt at Group 2 company but he did it nicely. Boudot followed up in the Daniel Wildenstein over 1400m on THE REVENANT who had raced as a juvenile in the UK but moved to FH Graffard as a 3-y-o. He hadn't been seen since winning a German Group 2 in May but beat OLMEDO four and a half lengths and put up a powerful performance.

The French have a St Leger - the Royal Oak - but the Chaudenay is really more like the English Leger in that it's confined to 3-y-o. A strong British raiding party led to a 1-2 for the visitors and it was wholly appropriate TECHNICIAN, who was sixth to LOGICIAN at Doncaster, should be good enough for this slightly weaker race. He reversed Doncaster form with NAYEF ROAD, who was only seventh here and beat the useful MOONLIGHT SPIRIT, who won the Lutece last time but couldn't quite get to TECHNICIAN in the final 25m.

The ground at Longchamp, in contrast to recent years, was soft and further overnight rain would make it very soft for Sunday's big meeting.

Before the review of yesterday's emotion-packed day in Paris, a look ahead to the coming weekend which is Future Champions Weekend at Newmarket. The two day fixture starts on Friday on ground currently described as Soft.

Friday's Group 1 is the Fillies Mile for the juveniles. 13 have been entered including Moyglare winner LOVE but favourite is the Framkel daughter QUADRILATERAL who slaughtered a decent field at Newmarket and is favourite in some books for next year's 1000 Guineas. She looked very impressive that day but this is very different. Jessica Harrington, who sent MILLISLE to win the Cheveley Park, sends CAYENNE PEPPER who won a Group 3 last time.

The supporting Group 2 is the Challenge over 1400m. This sees the return of MUSTASHRY who won the Lockinge in May before failing in the Queen Anne and the Eclipse. THis is weaker and he has claims while SHINE SO BRIGHT may enjoy the slower ground after flopping on quick ground at Doncaster in the Park Stakes. Perhaps the most interesting entry is MOHAATHER who hasn't been seen since winning the Greenham way back in April.

Saturday sees the final big meeting at Newmarket with PINATUBO set to run in the Group 1 Dewhurst over 1400m.

Arc day in Paris is arguably the best day’s racing in Europe of the whole season. Ascot has quality over five days as does Irish Champions Weekend over two and British Champions Day on one day but with six Group 1 races (seven if you count the race for the pure-bred Arabians), the single best day’s racing is Arc Sunday.

Further overnight rain left the ground very soft but the afternoon itself was fine and a stretch of fresh ground up the straight would be of considerable help as the day progressed.

The opener was the Marcel Boussac for the juvenile fillies over 1600m. Nine went to post but it didn’t look a very strong race with the favourite an unbeaten daughter of Deep Impact out of the Diane winner Sarafina called SAVARIN who had won the Group 3 trial for this last time.

MARIETA set the early fractions and indeed quickened for home in the straight and looked to have sealed the race but Shane Foley came with a late run down the outside on ALBIGNA and eased past winning by two and a half lengths. ALBIGNA was disappointing in the Moyglare but was found to be in season but given she is a daughter of Zoffany there were plenty of concerns about the ground but the new fresh stretch was riding much better than the ground on the round course and she stormed home strongly.

Jessica Harrington has a strong group of juvenile fillies but ALBIGNA looks a serious prospect and I imagine a trip to Newmarket is already under consideration.

The Marcel Boussac is also for the juveniles over 1600m and it’s a quirk of the conditions that fillies can run in this as well as colts but it was an all-boys field this year and it looked a decent renewal with the Aidan O’Brien runner ARMORY against the unbeaten Godolphin runner VICTOR LUDORUM.

They went no pace in this with Frankie Dettori leading on ALSON but this proved ideal for the locals as it was run like a typical French race. Ryan Moore tried to go for home on ARMORY 300m down but VICTOR LUDORUM was always travelling well and quickened to win a shade cosily. I noted the late run of HELTER SKELTER who finished fifth under a very tender ride and is one to follow.

VICTOR LUDORUM is a son of Shamardal but with PINATUBO looking the top Godolphin colt and EARTHLIGHT also in the mix it will be interesting to see how the Godolphin cards are played next spring. I suspect VICTOR LUDORUM will stay for the Poulains while EARTHLIGHT comes to Newmarket along with PINATUBO but so much will depend on how the colts fare in the winter.

The Opera is the French equivalent of the Nassau run over 2000m for the fillies and mares. Favourite was the John Gosden trained MEHDAAYIH but while Frankie Dettori got her to the front she was readily brushed aside in the final 400m and faded to finish tenth of twelve.

MEHDAAYIH’s stable companion TEREBELLUM was always prominent along with WITH YOU and the former led 300m out but was swamped in the final 100m and finished fifth beaten less than a length. This was one of those French races which finished like French races with those coming from off the pace finishing to good effect.

COMMES, who had placed in both the Pouliches and the Diane, finished well for fourth while Coronation Stakes winner WATCH ME was just edged out in third. FLEETING, placed in both the English and Irish Oaks, finished runner up while it was 18/1 outsider VILLA MARINA, who had not quite got home when fourth in the Vermeille last month, who relished the drop in trip and got up to get the spoils.

The Abbaye over 1000m is the sprint on the card and while BATTAASH went off 4/5 favourite, he’s never performed on really soft ground and was one of the first beaten trailing home much nearer last than first. The Abbaye has been farmed by the British and Irish over the years and it was GLASS SLIPPERS for trainer Kevin Ryan who was always prominent and won this well by three lengths. Last time GLASS SLIPPERS won the Petit Couvert but this was a big step forward for the filly who is clearly improving rapidly.

SO PERFECT made it a 1-2 for the girls – she had run third in the Nunthorpe and runner up in the Flying Five so is clearly very useful. EL ASTRONAUTE also raced with the pace throughout and came home third at a big price with INVINCIBLE ARMY and MABS CROSS the best of those coming from off the pace in fourth and fifth respectively but this was an authoritative win for GLASS SLIPPERS.

The Foret remains for now the only European Group 1 over 1400m for the older horses and attracted another strong field. CITY LIGHT was well fancied after a couple of recent wins but faced plenty of quality opposition. HEY GAMAN led the field into the straight with Soumillon sitting motionless on CITY LIGHT but it was Pierre Charles Boudot, having a weekend he will never forget, who struck on last year’s winner ONE MASTER for British trainer William Haggas and this doughty mare came down the outside and held CITY LIGHT close home for a famous follow up win.

SPEAK IN COLOURS was three and a half lengths back in third followed by another British raider in SAFE JOURNEY with the main disappointment Hungerford winner GLORIOUS JOURNEY who was supposed to like the slow ground but was only ninth.

On then to the Arc itself, worth £2.6 million to the winner and the 12 runners were headed by dual winner ENABLE ridden by Frankie Dettori who went off 4/6 favourite.

It was clear from the start Donnacha O’Brien on MAGICAL was determined to prevent Dettori getting the pole position just behind the leader and that might have been the most significant move of the race.

GHAIYYATH set the early fractions with the Japanese raider FIEREMENT and MAGICAL close up. ENABLE seemed to be going well enough in fourth ahead of the main body of the field including the likes of SOTTSASS, JAPAN and WALDGEIST.

At the entrance to the straight, the distress signals were already showing on GHAIYYATH who dropped away tamely as MAGICAL went on and FIEREMENT also dropped away.

Dettori came forward on ENABLE along with the 3-y-o JAPAN and SOTTASS but with 400m to go, Dettori pushed the button and went for home – ENABLE drifted to the rail and opened up a two length lead and for a moment immortality beckoned.

However, Pierre Charles Boudot switched WALDGEIST to the outside and got the son of Galileo rolling and he outstayed ENABLE in the final 125m winning by a length and a quarter. The three 3-y-o finished third, fourth and sixth with MAGICAL in fifth while the remaining half of the field were well beaten off.

SOFT LIGHT ran a huge race in sixth at 66/1 justifying the late decision to supplement. MAGICAL was a shade disappointing in fifth. I thought she did far too much early which seemed as much about frustrating ENABLE as trying to win the race. She dropped away in the straight and was further behind ENABLE in this race than on any other occasion.

The Jockey Club winner SOTTSASS was a fine fourth – he didn’t quite get home for me in the final 150m but emerges as the top French 3-y-o from this and will be an interesting prospect in races like the Ganay next season.

JAPAN ran a blinder in third. He was beaten three and a half lengths and never looked like getting to the two older horses but he is arguably the top middle distance 3-y-o on this and a campaign of 2000-2400m races next season looks likely.

ENABLE went down all guns blazing – the view from John Gosden was she was outstayed on very soft ground but I’m not wholly convinced. She ran and looked a notch below her best – Frankie was at her quite early – and not for the first time she didn’t quite get an end-to-end 2400m on slow ground. Have we seen the last of her? No decision as yet but I think Khalid Abdulla will call time. There will be a temptation to go to America but she’s had a long season and I don’t think that will happen.

Another option might be a Meydan campaign but I’m sceptical about that as well. She turns six in January and the temptation to send her to the paddocks will be overwhelming.

WALDGEIST has always been a good horse especially in France and for Andre Fabre a return to the glory days and for Pierre Charles Boudot the start, I suspect, of a long and distinguished career.
WALDGEIST has often come to England and run well and he was only just behind ENABLE and CRYSTAL OCEAN in that epic King George but on French soil he has been a dominant force and his Ganay win back in the spring on heavy ground was hugely impressive.

I suppose we may have seen the last of him as well as his owners are a leading German stud farm (Gestut Ammerland) and the Newsells Park Stud in England where EQUIANO had been the leading stallion. He will obviously be an attraction to many broodmare owners,

A huge weekend for the redeveloped Longchamp racecourse and the reviews have been more positive than last year. The French had a much better weekend but the British and Irish won their fair share and it was good to see the Japanese there in numbers yesterday though their horses were hugely inconvenienced by the soft ground.

Saturday's entries are through and to be fair I don't quite understand the scheduling for Newmarket. The Friday card is actually better than the Saturday offering though the latter has the Dewhurst, the 1400m juvenile championship race.

11 have been entered including five from Ballydoyle but PINATUBO looks a dominant horse at this stage. His demolition of the best of the Irish in the National Stakes was awesome and while POSITIVE has another go after chasing PINATUBO home at Goodwood, he's got a lot on. WICHITA, who won a Group 3 over the course and distance by seven lengths last time, looks the best of the O'Brien runners but the evidence says it is a one horse race and 1/3 PINATUBO tells you all you need to know.

The ground at Newmarket is Soft after further rain yesterday.

Nine stand in Friday's Group 1 Fillies Mile at Newmarket where the ground has upgraded slightly to soft, good to soft in places.

On paper it looks between the potential of QUADRILATERAL and the proven Group 1 winner LOVE but both CAYENNE PEPPER and POWERFUL BREEZE have claims and the latter won the May Hill last month which is often a good guide. At 6/1 she's an each way price so I may have a few pounds on.

Just five stand in the Challenge Stakes which may be more of a tactical race. SHINE SO BRIGHT, MUSTASHRY and LIMATO all have claims and none of them is bomb proof. I'm probably just in the MUSTASHRY camp as he has the Group 1 form and will see out the 1400m trip well.

Huge card at Caulfield in the early hours (UK).

Four European runners go in the Group 2 Herbert Power over 2400m, one of the early Melbourne Cup Trials. PRINCE OF ARRAN was third at Flemington last year and ran eighth in the Ebor before a decent third in the September Stakes at Kempton. He's coming along nicely but this is a tough ask.

RAHEEN HOUSE was ninth in the Ebor which was a shade disappointing as he was backed in to 5/1 favourite. TRUE SELF was in front of him in sixth and represents Willie Mullins, a really shrewd operator. However, his best European form is on slow turf and it will all happen too quickly at this distance. HAKY is the French challenger and he was second in the Gladiateur last time after a third in the kergorlay at Deauville behind MARMELO. Again, you'd think on the balance of his form he'd want wetter ground but French horses don't often get to run on decent ground and this one could well surprise on a decent surface though again 2400m is probably short of his best.

DANCETERIA has been scratched from the Ladbrokes Stakes which is a real shame. His stable companion CHIEF IRONSIDE has been taken out of a Listed handicap to run in the Toorak Handicap, a Group 1 over 1600m. He's been Group 3 placed in the UK both as a 3-y-o and a 4-y-o. The balance of his form doesn't stack up against the battle hardened players in this race but he could sneak a place.