Daryz, Gstaad, Opera Ballo and Benvenuto Cellini all line up on an outstanding Arc Trials Day from ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Daryz returns to ParisLongchamp en route to his defence of Europe's most prestigious race, tackling the Prix Foy. Francis-Henri Graffard's star returns having not being seen since his third in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes - where there were excuses for the run given his misbehaviour in the stables prior to the race.
That run is the only blemish to an otherwise seamless four-year-old campaign to date, which has seen him win the Prix Ganay & Prix Aga Khan IV, showing a devastating turn of foot in both. He was beaten at this meeting last term by Japanese raider Croix Du Nord in the Prix du Prince D'orange but bounced back with that famous victory a month later, seeing off Minnie Hauk in a pulsating renewal of the Arc. Bay City Roller is currently 14-1 for the October showpiece and is a really interesting contender in both this and the Arc, having delivered his second Group 1 success when dispatching his rivals in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June.
He flourished in soft conditions that day and easing conditions combined with a return to a favoured track could see him go close. Both the Antoine Griezmann-owned Uthred and Quest For Magic have an enormous amount to find on ratings and should be nowhere near the front two - although the latter did defeat Prix Vermeille contender Rabbit's Foot in Listed company last time out. Star three-year-old Gstaad reopposes two of his rivals from the Sussex Stakes in Sunday's feature Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp for a pot just shy of £400,000 to the winner.
Aidan O'Brien has been unlucky to bump into the brilliant Bow Echo on three of his four starts this year, going down to George Boughey's phenomenon in the 2000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes by a cumulative three lengths. Clearly a star in his own right, Ryan Moore's mount cruised to an emphatic triumph in the Irish 2000 Guineas earlier in the campaign and with Bow Echo now retired, is arguably best of the European milers. Both Opera Ballo and Ten Bob Tony had to give Gstaad 8lbs the last day but that is reduced to 6lbs and both will hope that will be enough to close the deficit of just under three lengths.
Opera Ballo is a Group 1 winner this year, taking out the Jebel Hatta at Meydan in January before subsequently topping that up with an impressive weight-carrying display in the bet365 Mile at Sandown against some top rivals. He then was defeated in the Queen Anne by Ten Bob Tony, who bought up his sole Group 1 success with a dramatic finish - defying odds of 50/1. Kieran Shoemark's mount stayed on well after a bad start in the City Of York Stakes recently and could go even closer.
Erdenali represents the lethal duo of Francis-Henri Graffard and Mickael Barzalona and cannot be discounted. This gelded son of Caravaggio should have retained his unbeaten status in Group 3 company last time but was boxed in and only managed third when sent off the odds-on favourite. Sparan Nua and Sunly lock horns in a very competitive Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille.
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