'I love this race, it’s a Group 1 in disguise' - Arc favourite Ace Impact returns in Prix Guillaume d'Ornano

Jean-Claude Rouget unleashes the unbeaten Ace Impact in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville, the first step in the second part of a campaign he hopes will culminate in Arc glory at Longchamp on October 1. 

While Rouget took a more daring route with Vadeni last year, defeating his elders in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, the Guillaume d'Ornano has been the preferred comeback for plenty of his recent Jockey Club winners. 

Although the Ornano lacks the status of an Eclipse or a Juddmonte International, the mile and a quarter event is worth €400,000, is restricted to three-year-olds and carries no Group 1 penalty.

"I love this race, it’s a Group 1 in disguise," said Rouget. "It is not permitted to be a Group 1 because it falls too close to the Juddmonte International at York. 

"The pattern committee won’t upgrade it but for me it’s a Group 1, with great advantages. The prize-money is good, given it’s 80 per cent more valuable than its status. This horse is very valuable already but it still counts." 

Rouget added: "And I like the race as a springboard for the autumn. Ace Impact was on the go early in the year at Cagnes but he hasn’t had a really busy campaign, and has never had a really hard race. The only time he’s had to really stretch was in the Jockey Club."

Rouget described the son of Cracksman as "80 or 85 per cent ready", and his performance will determine whether the next step is the Kingdom of Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes or the Prix Niel a day later at Longchamp.

Ace Impact coped impressively with testing conditions at Bordeaux earlier in the season but was electric in the Jockey Club on a sound surface.

"He seems to me like he acts on most ground, although when you look at his action, I’d probably lean towards a preference for good ground," Rouget said. "He’s not had a totally intensive preparation but one which should mean he is ready for what will be a semi-comeback run."

Rouget won the Arc with Sottsass in 2020 and Ace Impact is the general 4-1 ante-post favourite to provide him with a second success in Europe's premier all-age middle-distance Group 1.

'He will improve a lot for the run' - Breeders' Cup winner returns to action

Last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road will make his belated first appearance as a three-year-old four months later than planned. 

The son of Saxon Warrior was due to contest the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau won by American Flag at Longchamp in mid-April but got injured in transit and has been on the sidelines ever since.

Victoria Road: returns to action under Ryan MooreCredit: Edward Whitaker

He rattled off four wins in a row last autumn and ended the season as one of the highest-rated juveniles in Europe with a mark of 115. 

Victoria Road concluded his campaign at Keeneland in November, seeing off Silver Knott by a nose in a thrilling finish to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, but Aidan O'Brien has warned punters not to expect too much on his return from a 284-day absence and was keen to stress he will improve for the outing.

The trainer, who has yet to win the Group 2, said: "Victoria Road was due to run earlier in the season in France but he had a mishap heading over in the box and he's been off for a long time since. We're just about ready to get him started back and hopefully he'll run a nice race and go on from there. He will improve a lot for the run."

Victoria Road will be ridden by Ryan Moore, chasing his second victory in the race after winning on Eminent in 2017.

The other Ballydoyle representative is Greenland on whom Maxime Guyon comes in for the ride. 

O'Brien said: "Greenland has had a break since his last run but he seems to be in good form and we've been happy with him over the last few weeks."

'Hopefully he can take another step forward' - is Al Riffa who Ace Impact should fear most?

The biggest danger to Ace Impact according to the market is neither of the Aidan O'Brien contenders but Al Riffa, trained by his son Joseph. 

The imposing colt won the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh last September on his final start as a juvenile, but missed the Irish 2,000 Guineas in May with a late setback having been ante-post favourite.

Al Riffa (right): rated the biggest danger to Ace ImpactCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Al Riffa returned with a satisfactory effort when second in the Group 2 International Stakes on Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh and O'Brien is hoping he will take another step forward here. 

He said: "It looks a nice race for him and he's come on well from his run in the Curragh. It looks like a very good race, with some high-class three-year-olds in there, but we're hoping for a good run from him. Hopefully he can take another step forward."

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