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Who are the big British and Irish challengers in action on the Arc undercard?
There is strong British and Irish representation in the Group 1s on Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe card at Longchamp. Here, we run through some of the main challengers . . .
Prix Marcel Boussac
Bedtime Story failed to beat a rival home in last month's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh but she had won all four starts beforehand, including an impressive nine-and-a-half-length success in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien's filly had set a strong pace in the Moyglare and was found to be lame post-race, so had excuses for the below-par showing and it would be no surprise to see her bounce back to form.
Her stablemate Exactly could act as the pacemaker. She finished third in the Moyglare after being directly behind Bedtime Story in her two starts prior.
Ollie Sangster's Simmering finished a short-head in front of Exactly at the Curragh, finding only the subsequent impressive Cheveley Park winner Lake Victoria too strong. She was an eased-down three-length winner of a Deauville Group 2 in August.
Paddy Power: 4-5 Zarigana, 5-2 Bedtime Story, 13-2 Simmering, 16 Exactly, 25 Lhakpa, Vertical Blue, La Guapisima, 28 bar
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
The John and Thady Gosden-trained Field Of Gold supplemented a Newmarket maiden success when justifying favouritism in the Solario Stakes at Sandown last time, after which the Lagardere was declared his long-term target.
He is joined in the race by Henri Matisse, who bids to provide Aidan O'Brien with his first win in the race since Happily's success in 2017. The son of 2010 Lagardere winner Wootton Bassett saw his three-race unbeaten record come to an end in the National Stakes at the Curragh last time, where he ran around under pressure and did not look straightforward.
Brian Meehan's Rashabar caused an 80-1 upset in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and proved that success was no fluke when a half-length second behind Whistlejacket in the Prix Morny at Deauville last time. He took a while to hit top gear there and should appreciate stepping up in trip.
Camille Pissarro has had six starts but remains without a win since taking a Navan maiden on debut in April, while Cowardofthecounty was three and a half lengths behind Henri Matisse when fifth in the National Stakes.
Betfair Sportsbook: 2 Henri Matisse, 11-4 Field Of Gold, 3 Rashabar, 12 Misunderstood, 14 Houquetot, 16 Cowardofthecounty, Camille Pissarro, 20 bar
Prix de l'Abbaye
Nine of the last ten winners of this Group 1 sprint were British- or Irish-trained and the betting for this year's race suggests that trend is highly likely to continue.
Bradsell is unbeaten in three starts this season, his last two victories coming at Group 1 level in the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five Stakes at York and the Curragh respectively.
Archie Watson's four-year-old had Believing directly behind in both of those races and the Highclere-owned filly is set to renew the rivalry. She has proved admirably consistent at 5f this season.
No Half Measures comes into this with a progressive profile having won six of her ten starts. She finished a close-up sixth in a Group 3 over the Abbaye course and distance before posting a career-best Racing Post Rating of 112 when landing a Newbury Group 3 last time, after which jockey Ryan Moore advised her connections to run her in the Abbaye.
Englemere bids to emulate 2022 Abbaye winner The Platinum Queen by winning the races as a two-year-old filly. The daughter of Goken cost just £1,000 as a yearling but has already amassed over £66,000 in prize-money.
Paddy Power: 3 Believing, 7-2 Bradsell, 9-2 No Half Measures, 10 Rogue Lightning, Makarova, 12 Kerdos, 16 Starlust, Grand Grey, Englemere, 20 bar
Prix de l'Opera
Following a 1-2-3 in the Ayr Gold Cup and Liberty Lane's success in last Saturday's Cambridgeshire Karl Burke's horses could hardly be in better form and he bids to continue his streak of big-race wins when saddling Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel in the Prix del'Opera.
The daughter of Too Darn Hot returned from a 111-day break with a second behind Porta Fortuna in the Matron Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown last month. She now steps up to 1m2f for the first time in her career.
Content comes into this with a progressive profile, recording a career-best RPR of 117 when landing the Yorkshire Oaks last time. She drops back in distance.
Ylang Ylang runs here in favour of Saturday's Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket and was only a half-length behind Fallen Angel when fourth in the Matron. She was a Group 1 winner at two and this trip could prove her optimum.
The Gosdens' Friendly Soul comes into this with four wins from her five starts, while the stable also run Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Running Lion.
Betfair Sportsbook: 3 Fallen Angel, 7-2 Ylang Ylang, 4 Content, 5 Sparkling Plenty, 7 Friendly Soul, 16 Running Lion, Start Of Day, 18 bar
Prix de la Foret
Kinross has form figures of 412 in the Foret and comes into this year's race on the back of a two-length win in the Park Stakes at Doncaster.
Poet Master put up a clear career-best performance when running out an impressive winner of the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh in July but failed to back up that showing when five and a half lengths behind Kinross at Doncaster.
The William Haggas-trained Tiber Flow has won two of his last three starts, prevailing in a head-bob finish to the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last time.
Breege bids to follow up her 33-1 victory in the City of York Stakes, while Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy combine with Flora Of Bermuda, who steps up in trip having finished fifth in the Sprint Cup at Haydock last time.
Paddy Power: 3 Kinross, 7-2 Ramatuelle, 7 Tribalist, 9 Tiber Flow, Breege, 10 Big Rock, 12 Poet Master, 16 Exxtra, 20 bar
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Published on inPrix de l'Arc de Triomphe
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