'We think he might be ready to run a career-best here' - is Cowardofthecounty the overpriced one?

At first glance Henri Matisse ought to be feared in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. On paper he has it all, being out of the Group 1-winning mare Immortal Verse and a half-brother to Tenebrism, and he looked a colt potentially out of the top drawer when winning his first three starts, including the Group 2 Futurity Stakes.

Throughout that sequence he’d looked a bit raw, which was easily put down to him learning on the job, but that appeared to take a more sinister turn when he was beaten in the National Stakes last time, hanging both ways under pressure and seeming a little reluctant to fully go through with his challenge.

Connections apparently share similar fears as he’ll wear blinkers for the first time here, which may allow him to deliver on his potential but it’s enough of a concern to consider taking him on.

Rashabar and Field Of Gold head the dangers on form. The former, who won the Coventry Stakes and shaped well in the Prix Morny last time, may well be able to eke out a bit more improvement now upped in trip but a more convincing case can be made for the latter, who looked a good prospect in the Solario Stakes. That form was boosted by the third-placed Royal Playwright going on to finish second in the Royal Lodge, and Field Of Gold looks capable of further progress himself.

Of those at bigger prices the eye is drawn to Cowardofthecounty, who will be racing on ground softer than good for the first time since beating Whistlejacket on his debut. He’s yet to build on that quite as much as might have been expected but has run several good races since, and the return to softer ground may well herald his belated improvement.
Analysis by Matt Gardner

'This has been the plan since Sandown' - Gosden

John Gosden has made no secret of the fact this has been the plan for his gigantic grey colt Field Of Gold ever since he scored at Sandown in late August.

The Solario Stakes is a race he tends to target with his best juveniles given he has won it with Raven's Pass, Kingman and Too Darn Hot so it is certainly noteworthy that Field Of Gold was pointed in that direction. He was convincing enough in winning it, without blowing you away.

Gosden has never won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, but this looks a cracking chance for that statistic to be changed.

Gosden said: "We've had this race in mind ever since he won the Solario Stakes and we've been very happy with him since then at home. He has a decent draw (five) but we hope they don't get to much of the rain that is forecast."

What they say

Christopher Head, trainer of Houquetot
I was really pleased with his last run and with his form since. We are drawn ten of ten but I think he has the quality and the talent to deal with it. He is a very genuine horse.

Mario Baratti, trainer of Misunderstood
Honestly he has come on a fair bit since his last run. It wouldn’t be my choice to come back in trip - in an ideal world I’d be staying at 1,600 metres [a mile] but the programme forces us to run here. He enjoys soft ground but I think he’ll adapt to quicker ground with no problem.

Francis Graffard, trainer of Revolutionnaire
He is in extraordinary form and I couldn’t have him any better. He’s an outsider of course but the ground will be fine for him and he is a progressive colt who is in top form. He is in the sale tonight so if he’s sold, there’s obviously a chance he won’t run.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro
The reason for putting the blinkers on Henri Matisse is because he jinked when he got there the last day in the National Stakes and he did the same the day before. Blinkers might help him a little bit and hopefully he won't do it again. He's got a lot of ability. Camille Pissarro ran very well the last day at Doncaster. That was more like it from him. He's up in trip, so it's going to be interesting to see how he gets on.

Brian Meehan, trainer of Rashabar
He's in great form and I'm very happy with him. I think he's got a good chance, he's one of the top three in the betting and there's no reason why he shouldn't run very well.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Cowardofthecounty
He's trained well since his run at the Curragh. This course and distance will suit him well and we think he might be ready to run a career-best here.
Reporting by David Jennings

Read more of Sunday's previews:

12.55 Longchamp: 'This will be a different test' - will unbeaten Zarigana handle the heat of Arc day in the Marcel Boussac?

2.05 Longchamp: 'Dominant' Bradsell out to complete Group 1 sprint hat-trick in Abbaye - but Believing camp have reason to hope she can reverse form

3.20 Longchamp: 'We said if there's one race this season we want him to be bang on for, it's the Arc' - top trainers on their Longchamp contenders

4.40 Longchamp: 'He loves it round Longchamp' - can Kinross reclaim his Prix de la Foret crown?