Arc weekend preview: Suesa and Space Blues among star names on ParisLongchamp card

Is the blue wave set to continue?

It’s only fractionally odds-against (6/5 at current prices) Charlie Appleby wins the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with either Adayar or Hurricane Lane, but the Godolphin challenge heading for Paris is not consigned to the Sunday feature.

As is now familiar, Appleby hasn’t made block entries – it’s a relatively small but select squad – but like recent Arc meetings, Dubai Carnivals, several Breeders’ Cups and the remarkable haul in North America earlier this month when snaring three Grade Ones and the Jockey Club Derby within a 24-hour period, each horse travels on merit.

The fun begins with Saturday’s Qatar Prix Chaudenay as monster gelding Manobo looks to maintain his unbeaten record and lofty reputation in the Group Two event over a mile and seven furlongs.

Saeed bin Suroor won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for Godolphin five times from 1996 through to 2012, but Cross Counter has come closest for Appleby in the interim, his Melbourne Cup hero managing only fourth and then third behind Stradivarius in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

It has been suggested the three-year-old Manobo could be fast-tracked into the Cup division come spring 2022 and proving his stamina for this sort of trip on Arc weekend would no doubt seal the deal.

The boys in blue have won half the last six runnings of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, though not one has represented Moulton Paddocks. Free-going Noble Truth will attempt to set that record straight and consequently add his name to a bulging list of seriously promising juveniles from the yard.

Stablemate Space Blues is almost a standing dish in France by comparison, with form figures of 2311 in Group races at Longchamp and Deauville, and Appleby has always wanted to aim him at the Prix de La Foret.

The trainer should now get the chance with his late-maturing Dubawi, who has evidently been kept fresh for an international autumn campaign since his low-key run at Meydan in March.

Even around the 2/1 mark, he looks one of the bets of the weekend.

• Click here to back Space Blues for the Prix de la Foret

Is the return to a mile the right move for Real World?

It’s 19 years since Saeed bin Suroor won his third Arc with Marienbard and it could be a while before he has another contender in the big one.

But in Real World the Godolphin number two – and I think we can comfortably call him that these days – has a colt on a real roll and opting to take in the Group Two Prix Daniel Wildenstein over a mile instead of the 10-furlong Prix Dollar hints at a possible QEII tilt to follow.

That sort of talk may sound premature but Benbatl is arguably more likely to be bound for Southern California should conditions be typically testing at Ascot next month, and Real World’s campaign has clearly gathered considerable momentum since returning to the UK after a fruitless spell in Dubai.

After bolting up from Astro King in the Royal Hunt Cup his victories at Newbury and York have come at slightly longer distances and teeing up a potential Champion Stakes bid in the Dollar must have been quite tempting, though his keen-going tendencies have presumably put paid to that, which makes sense on the face of it.

This is no undercard penalty-kick, however. Early favourite Revenant is going for a hat-trick in the race and, unlike the Godolphin improver, he is very much proven on all types of ground and will absolutely relish the forecast rain.

How strong is the Ballydoyle team?

Stronger than last year when it was effectively razed to the ground on account of the fears over contaminated feed, but not earth-shattering.

Snowfall’s defeat in the Vermeille was taken on the chin to some degree, explained away by the slow tempo initially (Dettori), and the very nature of a prep race later on by Aidan O’Brien, but it didn’t exactly smack of a horse building towards a peak performance at the end of a campaign which already features four visually impressive wins dating back to mid-May.

She now has a fair amount to prove all over again, likewise fellow Classic-winning filly Joan Of Arc, the Prix de Diane heroine who wasn’t disgraced when third in the Nassau but didn’t convince – and didn’t stay the trip – when kicked into touch by Teona in the Vermeille.

She could appreciate a drop back in trip in the Prix de l’Opera, while Willow could appreciate another step up in the Prix de Royallieu.

Maiden winners Scriptwriter and Bluegrass are worth monitoring in the Lagardere, especially given the way the yard’s two-year-olds have exploded into life, and the same applies to History, who has the distinct look of a Galileo filly that steadily creeps her way to making the grade, primarily through gaining experience in races precisely like the Marcel Boussac.

Is Suesa the best sprinter in Europe?

It would appear ‘counsel is leading the witness’ on this one, but we’re here to explore the evidence.

Timeform have ranked Diamond Jubilee winner Dream Of Dreams, July Cup winner Starman and the King George Qatar Stakes winner Suesa all on a par with one another (125), despite the latter failing in her two Group One assignments in Britain this year. Which probably speaks for itself.

It was assumed the French filly would love a deep-ground Commonwealth Cup at Ascot in the summer and yet the opposite was true on the day. She duly turned the tables on Dragon Symbol in no uncertain terms on a better racing surface at Goodwood, and subsequently found herself too far back, checked at a key stage, and only rolling again when it was all too late in the Nunthorpe.

Excuses for sprinters do eventually start to run dry – those who latched onto Dragon Symbol after winning at Hamilton back in May must be struggling for words – but Suesa looked very unlucky not to figure in the finish at York.

She gets to prove that point at the weekend as Tim Easterby’s winner Winter Power reopposes at ParisLongchamp, while last year’s Abbaye winner Glass Slippers is evidently something of an autumn specialist circling back to her peak.

As for the ‘best in Europe’ tag, with Dream Of Dreams injured and the team behind Starman stalling, the ball is now very much in Suesa’s court.

• Click here to back Suesa for the Prix de l'Abbaye

Will it finally happen in the Cadran?

If that’s some sort of Stradivarius versus Trueshan reference, then in short it’s looking unlikely in Saturday's Prix du Cadran.

The one time they met in the past came in the Ascot mud last October when Trueshan galloped to glory and Stradivarius all but pulled-up, so you can see why the Gosdens aren’t desperate for a rematch, particularly with rain expected .

But don’t be leaving reining champ Princess Zoe out of the equation.

Trainer Tony Mullins hinted that he felt she had further improvement in her after winning last year’s Cadran and she’s failed to register another victory in five starts since. Mullins’ prediction hasn’t proved wide of the mark, however, the mare’s Royal Ascot second behind Subjectivist a new career best on the figures.

She had a couple of months away and prepped for her French defence with an encouraging second to Twilight Payment in the Irish St Leger Trial.

Yielding that day, conditions look to be coming in her favour again and there must be a chance her remarkable story could have another glorious chapter or two still to come.

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