Owen tips a 66-1 winner of the Opera - but can he follow up in the Foret?

Europe's premier middle-distance Group 1, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, is fast approaching. The race itself and its supporting cast are some of the most competitive and exciting races of the Flat season.

With full fields of top-class performers to choose from, there are bound to be some surprises, and these four horses should not be overlooked at their bigger odds.

Joie De Soir

Prix du Cadran (3.25 Longchamp, Saturday)

Kyprios is the best stayer on the planet and if he runs to his peak, he will win in his customary 'just enough' fashion. It has been a long season, however, and a proven track performer like Joie De Soir (20-1 generally*) could pick up the pieces if he does underperform.

Andre Fabre has not won this race since Reefscape's 2005 success but his four-year-old has been campaigned solely over staying trips this season and was beaten half a length in Group 2 company back in May.

The Prix du Carrousel winner failed to confirm the placings with Goya Senora last time, but making her own running may not have suited and she is better than that.

On this year's evidence, 2m4f should not be out of her range and she remains unexposed for top connections. At her current price, she makes plenty of each-way appeal.

Bubble Gift

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (3.05 Longchamp, Sunday)

Huge odds for the Mikel Delzangles-trained Bubble Gift (80-1, bet365, 66-1 generally*) are quite puzzling given the level of form he has produced in 2022.

He has fallen slightly short of the top-class bracket, but he ran better than the bare result when midfield in last year's Arc, where he was perhaps further back than ideal after a tardy beginning.

No victories in 2022 is not the ideal preparation, but in all his runs, including a close third behind Alpinista in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he was staying on to great effect late on.

He will benefit from a real test on a softer surface, which he prefers, and it is not hard to envisage him sneaking into the places.

Place Du Carrousel

Prix de l'Opera Longines (3.50 Longchamp, Sunday)

After a period of dominance by the raiders, the home team have won two of the last three runnings of the Prix de l'Opera, and Place Du Carrousel (25-1 generally) is overpriced in her bid to give France another success.

Shaping with promise on her sole two-year-old run, she won her opening two starts in 2022 including the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud.

Two subsequent starts have come in Group 1 company and after a good second to Above The Curve in the Prix Saint-Alary, she shaped better than the bare result when midfield in the Prix de Diane behind Nashwa.

It is still very early days for her and with the potential for further improvement, she makes obvious each-way appeal.

Malavath

Prix de la Foret, (5.00 Longchamp, Sunday)

A Group 2 winner as a two-year-old, Malavath (11-1 generally*) ended her juvenile campaign with a narrow second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Scooping Group 3 honours on her return over 7f on heavy ground at Deauville, three subsequent starts have been slightly below that standard, but her most recent fourth to Saffron Beach in the Prix Rothschild was a career-best on Racing Post Ratings.

Dropping back to 7f will certainly not inconvenience her, nor will the softer ground, and she retains her potential after just nine starts. If she is granted a strong pace to aim at, as expected, she will be a big danger in the final furlong.

*prices correct at the time of writing

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