What's on this week: Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe steals the show - but there's a strong supporting cast at Goffs, Ascot and Newmarket

Monday

Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will be the centrepiece of the week and the build-up starts straight away, with 73 entries set to be whittled down on Monday morning at the first forfeit stage.

It's set to be a fairly busy Monday even though the fixtures at Newton Abbot and Windsor have been cancelled due to waterlogging.

The best of the action may come from Roscommon, where Willie Mullins bids to win the Grade 3 Kilbegnet Novice Chase (5.10) for the second year in a row. Arctic Fly is his contender this time, while Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Joseph O'Brien are all represented.

A varied day of action also takes place at Down Royal, Hamilton and Wolverhampton.

Racing Post Members' Club subscribers can access the next instalment of our The Horses Who Made Me series, this time looking back at the esteemed career of John Gosden, from 6pm.

Tuesday

There could be fireworks off the track in the bloodstock world as the Goffs Orby Book 1 Sale gets under way and continues into Wednesday.

A second forfeit stage for the Arc takes place, while the two Group 1s on Saturday's card at Longchamp – the Prix du Cadran and the Prix de Royallieu – will have their fields narrowed down.

The Goffs Orby Sale could produce fireworks on Tuesday and WednesdayCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

There is early British representation in France this week in the Grand Criterium de Bordeaux (11.23am), with Paul and Oliver Cole booking Christophe Soumillon to ride Afentiko in the Listed mile contest.

Five meetings comprising 37 races is the offering in Britain and Ireland for punters, with the action coming from Ayr, Bath, Cork, Newcastle and Sedgefield.

Wednesday

A penultimate declaration stage will see the likely field for the Arc take shape at 10.30am on Wednesday morning, with supplementary entries added to the field at this juncture.

Sunday's stellar card features a further five Group 1s and the forfeit stage for those races will take place, plus any supplementary entries for Saturday's card at Longchamp.

Brazil, a winner at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival in the Boodles, could have another crack over fences at Sligo, although connections will be hoping he goes better than his disappointing ninth on his first attempt at Wexford in July (he was sent off just 4-1).

The best of the action may come at Kempton in the Class 2 conditions sprint (6.20). Group winners Emaraaty Ana, Equilateral, Go Bears Go and Witch Hunter could tackle some up-and-coming sprinters in the 6f heat.

Runners leave the stalls in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The draw for the Arc will be revealed on Thursday morningCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Thursday

All eyes will be on the important draw for the Arc. The final field will be confirmed at 9.30am with the draw taking place shortly afterwards at 10am. Expect a shake-up in the market.

We will know Saturday's Longchamp card for certain at a similar stage and have a pretty strong idea of Sunday's fields, including supplementary entries, although the final fields for all races except the Arc will be confirmed on Friday morning.

Salisbury's season finale features a 6f conditions race for two-year-olds (3.15), while there are another six meetings for punters to get tucked into in Britain and Ireland at Bellewstown, Chelmsford, Clonmel, Newcastle, Southwell and Warwick.

Friday

The Listed Noel Murless Stakes (3.57) has the useful Middle Earth and subsequent Gold Cup winner Big Orange on its recent roll of honour, and is the highlight of Ascot's card. The Reverend, owned by Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, has already landed one good pot at the Berkshire track and may be fancied to follow up for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.

The rest of Friday's action comes from Dundalk, Fontwell, Gowran Park, Hexham and Newcastle.

Saturday

Inspiral is set to be retired to the paddocks after her final run in the Virgin Bet Sun Chariot Stakes (2.40) at Newmarket, but it should be a cracker on the Rowley Mile with stablemate Nashwa expected to be in opposition for an ITV-televised thriller. It isn't expected to be a high-class benefit for John and Thady Gosden, though, as Tamfana, Opera Singer and Elmalka could all be among the rivals.

Inspiral: finished a rallying third under Ryan Moore in the Prix Jacques Le Marois

Inspiral: set for her racecouse swansong at Newmarket on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes is on the undercard at Newmarket (2.05), and over at Ascot that pot is dwarfed by the £180,000 BetMGM Challenge Cup (3.35). A further three races, including the Bengough Stakes (3.00), will feature on ITV from the Berkshire course.

Redcar's biggest card of the year is headlined by the £150,000 William Hill Two Year Old Trophy (2.45), while meetings at Southwell, Wolverhampton, Gowran Park and the Curragh add to the hectic schedule.

There's plenty going on in Paris too for the opening day of Arc weekend. Kyprios produced his best performance in the 2022 Prix du Cadran when bolting up by an astonishing 20 lengths, despite hanging badly across the track in the closing stages, and could be on course to take in the Group 1 staying contest again.

The Prix de Royallieu is the other Group 1 on the card, and there are always performances to note from the likes of the Prix Dollar and Prix Daniel Wildenstein.

Sunday

One of the greatest races of the season, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, is finally upon us. Last year it was Ace Impact, and the home team appears to have a strong chance of keeping the valuable prize with Sosie and Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega heading the betting.

Japan's desire to win the Arc is well known and Shin Emperor, who ran encouragingly in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, will bid to break a famous duck for Yoshito Yahagi.

It is a long shortlist and one which includes plenty of British and Irish representation, notably Irish Derby winner Los Angeles, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Al Riffa and David Menuisier's Sunway. Bluestocking, the gutsy Prix Vermeille winner, could be supplemented and would be another leading contender for Ralph Beckett.

Longchamp will also host a further five Group 1s – two for the juveniles, in addition to the Foret, Abbaye and Opera. It truly should be an unmissable day of action.

Jump racing takes place at Kelso and Uttoxeter in Britain, while the Irish action comes from Killarney and Tipperary.