Hugo Palmer is not looking forward to the prospect of geldings being allowed to contest the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in future.
The Longchamp showpiece is set to be open to geldings from next year in a historic twist to Europe's richest race, pending approval from the European Pattern Committee for a change in the race conditions.
The amendment is something Timeform have been suggesting should be considered for several years, while Francis Graffard, who enjoyed his first taste of Arc glory courtesy of Daryz last autumn, is among those to have publicly backed the move.
However, others are far from convinced it's a positive step for the Group 1 race, including Palmer who was earlier this year appointed President of the National Trainers Federation.
Speaking on Racing TV's Luck On Sunday programme, Palmer said: "I know I've had an Irish Oaks winner and a second in the English Oaks, but I don't think I've ever had an entry in the Arc, so I think my view is really just as a trainer, but I think it's an enormous shame.
"I think the Arc is unique in that it is a clash of the generations. No horse has ever won three Arcs, because they don't run in many. To run in three Arcs is pretty incredible. And I think that there could be no more depressing result further down the line than some nine-year-old gelding winning his fourth Arc.
"It would just be so depressing for the sport and for the breed.
"What excites me about Flat racing is the new generations. That's why I like two-year-olds, and I love the Classics, those horses coming through, how good are they? Who's the best? Are they as good as last year?
"But then we're on to the next year. I know that jump racing fans are very different, and they love opening their racecard and seeing it's the same old names at Cheltenham this year as they were there last year. And I get that, but this is Flat racing, and I think Champions Day, for example, is immeasurably better when it's run on decent ground and we get some young horses winning, rather than when it's run on deep mud, and we get all the eight-year-old geldings turning up.
"I think if the Arc de Triomphe starts being won by eight-year-old geldings, I think it's going to be a really, really depressing race."
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