Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe blog replay | Enable and Frankie Dettori star at Chantilly

All times BST...

1730: The last word has to go to Enable. What a season it has been. Cheshire Oaks, Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks, King George, Yorkshire Oaks and now the Arc. She's danced every dance, beaten her peers, the older fillies and the best of the colts, 3YOs or otherwise. And today she was brilliant, just dominating a field full of previous G1 winners and putting them in their place with a performance of pure excellence. She won't be going to the Breeders' Cup, but she might stay in training at four, to try and do a Treve, and win the Arc again as an older filly. That will be at the redeveloped Longchamp, something to look forward to in a year's time. Thanks for joining our coverage, the racing blog will be back next Saturday when the Sun Chariot takes centre stage at Newmarket. Until then...

ARC REPLAY: If you missed Enable, you have to catch up on the replay. Here it is:

1725: A clean sweep for GB & Ireland on Arc day at Chantilly as Aclaim follows Wild Illusion, Happily, Enable, Rhododendron and Battaash into the winners' enclosure. He deserved that, too, and Oisin Murphy kept his cool when it looked like he might be short of room approaching the final furlong. He switched him out slightly, got him rolling to the front and he held on well from the late challenge of So Beloved who ran a stormer in second.

1715 Chantilly Result
Qatar Prix de la Foret

1st Aclaim
2nd So Beloved
3rd Karar

1710: The Qatar Prix de la Foret brings the curtain down on a sensational day's action at Chantilly. It has to be said, though, it doesn't look a vintage renewal. There are only two previous G1 winners in the field of 10, so there's every chance a new top-level king will be crowned. Aclaim could be one of those and he's your 5/2 favourite, with the two previous G1 winners, Zelzal and Brando, just behind him in the betting. Brando won the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August, beating Aclaim, but this ground, this extra half-furlong, looks likely to help Martyn Meade's horse reverse that form.

1655: Plenty of changes in the ante-post markets after Battaash's breath-taking Abbaye. Sky Bet go 5/1 from 20s about him for the Champion Sprint, 5/1 from 10s about him for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and 7/2 from 6/1 for next year's King's Stand.

I'd be surprised if they went further than five furlongs with him, although it would be some sight seeing him go head-to-head with Harry Angel. We're blessed with some mighty sprinters this season.

1640: That was sensational. That was the Battaash we saw at Sandown and he's pounded them, winning the Abbaye by four lengths like a rocket. He's just a raw speedball, a powerhouse of a sprinter and keeping the lid on him mentally beforehand looks absolutely key to him. He fluffed his lines at York after getting worked up, but they just about got him in without much fuss today and he's bounded out to make all in great style.

1635 Chantilly Result
Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines

1st Battaash 9/4f
2nd Marsha 11/4
3rd Profitable 8/1

1635: Battaash isn't too keen on going in again. He's got the blindfold on and is backing away. He's in eventually, though. And they're off!

1632: Battaash has gone down to post okay, but will he behave himself going in the stalls this time? Marsha favourite on the PMU as she goes for back-to-back Abbayes.

1625: Prix de l'Abbaye next and I'm slightly surprised to see Battaash as favourite given his antics at York. It'll be interesting to see how he handles preliminaries here as he got really worked up on the Knavesmire prior to the Nunthorpe, which looked a valid reason for his below-par effort at the time. Marsha won that race and I thought she'd be a clear market leader here, although it's far from a two-horse race. Signs Of Blessing could be hard to catch if he gets away well on ground he loves, while at a massive price I'd give an each-way squeak to Fashion Queen who kept on well in a G3 at this track last time. She might just like this hell-for-leather five.

1607: Will Rhododendron turn up at Ascot on Champions Day I wonder? Sky Bet go 8/1 from 14s about Rhododendron the Qipco Fillies & Mares and 14/1 from 25s about her for the Champion Stakes.

1559: It's a one-two for Aidan O'Brien as Rhododendron just edges out her stablemate Hydrangea in a battle of the Ballydoyle flowers to land the Opera. The winner emphatically reverses recent Matron Stakes form and she eventually bounces back to form with her last really good run coming when she was spanked five lengths by Enable in the Oaks. That's Aidan O'Brien's 22nd Group/Grade One of the year and he's just three off the record of 25 set by Bobby Frankel now. It's been a bumper weekend for O'Brien in the G1 game with four added to the trophy mantelpiece.

1550 Chantilly Result
Prix de l'Opera Longines

1st Rhododendron 7/1
2nd Hydrangea 11/2
3rd Lady Frankel 40/1

1542: Things didn't go to plan for Aidan O'Brien in the Arc but he could well bounce back quickly in the Prix de l'Opera Longines as he runs two bloomers, Hydrangea and Rhododendron who have strong claims. Sky Bet have Price Boosted either of the duo to win from 11/4 to 100/30.

1537: Prince Khalid Abdullah kept Frankel in training at four, didn't he, so the chances are he'll be just as sporting with this filly. And then she can go visit the greatest there has been for a spot of fantasy breeding. Frankable.

1532: No more from Enable this year... but we may see her race on at four. Please let this be so.

1530: John Gosden says: "She's very special. She was well positioned by Frankie to show her class and brilliance. I think to go to the Breeders' Cup would be too hard on the filly. If she's in great form maybe we could see her again next year. It would be nice to come back and do it again at Longchamp."

1525: What a tremendous filly. She's made multiple Group One-winning horses look decidedly ordinary. But that's what great horses do and she has to be up there now. Hopefully she stays in training at four. It's not as if she has nothing left to prove - Treve set the blueprint for that. Come back and do it at four without the weight-for-age. And become the only horse to win the Arc at two different tracks!

1518: Cloth Of Stars ran a belter in second for Andre Fabre. He did reverse the Foy form with Dschingis Secret and he's just been beaten by an exceptional filly on the day. Ulysses was third, travelling well from a prominent position under Jim Crowley, he had no excuses. He just couldn't go with her and there's no shame in that.

1515: Oh my, she's very good. Enable wins the Arc by what looks like three lengths after a tremendous Treve-esque performance. She looked a bit keen early doors but she just tanked through the race and once Frankie said 'Go' the response was immediate. She was always prominent, leading early and then taking a lead from Idaho and Order Of St George. But as those two were ridden vigorously after the turn for home Enable was still in cruise control and she quickened clear of the pack, never for catching.

1505 Chantilly Result
Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

1st Enable 10/11f
2nd Cloth Of Stars 25/1
3rd Ulysses 9/1

1511: ENABLE WINS THE PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE!

1510: Enable now settled in third as Idaho and Order Of St George lead the way coming into the straight.

1509: They're off. Enable takes a lead from Idaho early doors before taking it up under Frankie Dettori. She's a bit keen, though.

1508: They're loading quickly now, almost time.

1505: It's race time, but they're still parading in front of the stands so there will be a slight delay at Chantilly. Enable is taking it all in her stride. She looks ready.

1504: Enable. She's odds-on now. That looks right to me. She's the best horse in the race getting all the allowances. She's proven on the testing ground. She's got a good draw in stall two and the right man on board in Frankie Dettori if he needs to adapt tactically. Okay, she hasn't had a mid-season break, but John Gosden supplemented her for this when he could've run Cracksman. She must be giving him the right signals at home. The Nathaniel filly has won four Group Ones on the trot by a combined margin of 20 lengths. She's a top notcher. But can she put the seal on her season by winning the Arc?

1500: Simon Holt fancies Ulysses and he does look the main danger to the favourite. He's developed into a really classy horse and when you look at what he did to Churchill and Barney Roy at York you have to think he is operating at a better-than-ever level. Better than when he was second to Enable in the King George. He's 4lb better off at the weights than at Ascot, too. But, the big but, is the soft ground at this trip. It's probably not ideal. Expect a paint-scraping rail ride from Jim Crowley.

1454: Is the forgotten horse Brametot? He looked a very classy winner of the French Guineas and the French Derby earlier in the season but then reportedly hurt his back when well beaten behind Eminent in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain last time. He does have his stamina to prove as well, though, which is a concern.

1451: Team Ballydoyle run a quintet of horses as Aidan O'Brien bids to repeat his tremendous success in the race last year when he saddled the first three home.

It's a huge day in the life of his son Donnacha O'Brien who takes the ride on Order Of St George with Ryan Moore having plumped for Winter. It's an interesting call from Moore, who has gone for class over assured stamina with Winter having to prove herself at the trip.

If Galileo can sire an Arc winner out of Wokingham winner Laddies Poker Two he really does have magic genes. I wouldn't put it past him and straight after she won the Nassau O'Brien was saying 'she might even get further'.

Capri, an excellent winner of a really good renewal of the St Leger just 15 days ago, is the third string and it will be interesting where he fits into the tactical game plan. I wonder if we will see two or three or more O'Brien runners vying for the lead?

Will that help or hinder Winter? It's a fascinating tactical battle.

1441: Without Prix Niel winner Cracksman running, it's difficult to envisage the Arc trials having much of an impact here. Perhaps the Prix Foy will have something to say about that, where Dschingis Secret beat Cloth Of Stars.

The German raider has certainly done nothing wrong in recent starts and he'll love a stamina test in the soft ground.

Cloth Of Stars, though, could well reverse the Foy form. As you can see in the video below, he didn't get the best run last time and that was his first run since May 1. Out of the two, at the prices, Cloth Of Stars makes more appeal for master Arc trainer Andre Fabre, who is going for his eighth win in the race.

1431: Gazwan wins the Qatar Arabian World Cup for the pure-bred Arabians, the Arabian Arc, if you will. But it's all about the thoroughbred Arc now, as we count down to the big one at 3.05.

1412: With the Qatar Arabian World Cup up next perhaps now's a good time to check out another 'This Is My Arc' video. Step forward Ryan Lee Moore and Sir Michael Stoute:

1402: Just like the first race we have 1000 Guineas and Oaks ante-post movement after that. Sky Bet go 6/1 from 8/1 about Happily for the 1000 Guineas and 7/1 from 10/1 for the Oaks.

She's a full-sister to Gleneagles and Marvellous who both won Guineas, so, while she might well stay further, you would think her first target next year will be Newmarket.

1356: Happily becomes the first filly to win the Lagardere since 1986 as she stays on well to get the better of Olmedo and Masar after looking to have plenty to do two furlongs out. The Godolphin duo took the bull by the horns once again and at one stage it looked like James Doyle might nick a quick Group One double with Happily being pushed along in behind. However, she responded to Ryan Moore's urgings and was going away at the line to win this well. Masar faded into third late on as Olmedo battled well for second.

1345 Chantilly Result
Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere

1st Happily (6/5f)
2nd Olmedo (7/2)

1340: It could be tough to find a Pick 7 winner today following the opener. Just 726 players have progressed to leg 2 out of 56,023 following the victory of 25/1 chance Wild Illusion.

1335: It could be a tremendous start to Arc day for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby as the Newmarket handler has a really strong hand in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, coming up at 1345. Masar looks the number one hope for James Doyle on the back of his easy success in the Solario Stakes at Sandown last time, while Mythical Magic ran well in third in the Champagne Stakes.

Happily, though, remains a strong favourite for Aidan O'Brien. Her form ties in closely with Magical, who was just well beaten in the Boussac, so that might be a slight concern for backers.

1328: Sky Bet go 14/1 about Wild Illusion for the 1000 Guineas and 16/1 for the Oaks. Looking at her breeding, by Dubawi out of a Monsun mare, you'd have to say you'd expect her to step up in trip next season and the way she won that suggests stamina, so, more of an Oaks filly you would think.

1319: We have a boilover in the opener as Godolphin win the Boussac again with Wild Illusion after Wuheida's victory for the same trainer, Charlie Appleby, last year. Supplemented for this, she's improved significantly from her third place at this track in the Prix d'Aumale on September 3. That form has been emphatically reversed and she's won this easily under a really positive James Doyle ride. If you backed Polydream with Sky Bet, you get your money back (up to £20 as a free bet) as per the First Race Special.

1310 Chantilly Result
Total Prix Marcel Boussac

1st Wild Illusion 25/1
2nd Polydream 11/8f

1310: Allan says: "Hello folks. German form always underrated and lots of German winners of big races have popped up at huge prices over the years. Fancy the German trixie today, Narella, Dsingis and then Lacazzar."

Good luck, Allan!

1308: Magical being very well backed on course (6/4) as Team Ballydoyle aim to get Arc day off to a flyer. Rumplestiltskin, Found and Ballydoyle have won this contest for Aidan O'Brien in recent years.

1255: Okay, with lunch over we're ready for the afternoon's action. First up at 1.10 is the Total Prix Marcel Boussac where Freddy Head's Polydream heads the betting at 6/4 after beating subsequent May Hill winner Laurens at Deauville. The Oasis Dream filly looked potentially out of the top drawer that day although this looks a sterner test with Magical in the field for Aidan O'Brien.

1225: Don't forget we have a special Sunday Sporting Life Pick 7 game at Chantilly today, with £50,000 up for grabs. It's free to play, so log-in or sign up by clicking the image below.

1212: Robert says: "Ben, Do you have a fancy for the W/O Enable market? I like Brametot and also Battash and Rhododendron."

Thanks Robert, good to see you're the forgiving type with Brametot and Battaash. If you ignore their last runs, both are big prices today so good luck with those.

But the big question I keep on asking myself is this: Is Ulysses too big at 11/1 to reverse King George form with Enable?

I'm beginning to think it is. He gets a 4lb pull at the weights, he was more impressive in the Juddmonte International than Enable was in the Yorkshire Oaks and it's really interesting he's even running here after all the talk was of working backwards from the Breeders' Cup Turf in the aftermath of York.

He must be thriving at home and he's improved with each and every start this year in the style of a typical Sir Michael Stoute older horse.

The big question mark is his stamina over this trip in this 'Souple' ground. It is an unknown, for sure. But is that factored into his odds? I think it might be. Certainly now he's drifted to 11s.

1152: Damon asks about the Chantilly weather following the news about the soft ground. We're not there, Damon, but our Chantilly moles report light drizzle and grey skies. The ground is officially soft, but it may pay to just watch the first race and see for yourself before striking any Arc bets.

1150: The 'This Is My Arc' videos on the France Galop YouTube channel are fantastic and if you haven't seen them we'll sprinkle some in the blog throughout the day. Here are John Gosden and Frankie Dettori talking about Golden Horn's victory and the jockey's masterplan:

1132: The official going at Chantilly today is 'Souple' which means 'Soft', even though 'Souple' sounds softer than 'Soft'.

1130: The best-backed horse of the morning has been Aclaim in the closing Prix de la Foret. Trainer Martyn Meade heads to Chantilly in great spirits after landing the Cambridgeshire with 50/1 poke Dolphin Vista yesterday but victory for Aclaim in the Foret would be much more what you would call expected. The Acclamation colt got back on the winning trail in the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster last time and he's 9/4 from 11/4 at Sky Bet to win his first Group One at the third attempt later on this afternoon. Click here for all of today's market movers.

1120: Good morning and welcome to the Sporting Life racing blog on a very special Sunday, the first Sunday in October, pinch, punch, the first of the month, it's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day. It's not quite as we know it with the race being at the temporary home of Chantilly again, but, last year the track proved an able deputy as Found led home an Aidan O'Brien-trained one-two-three, so we shall enjoy the historic venue once more before the race heads back to the iconic Parisian circuit of Longchamp in 2018.

If you want to get in touch with your French fancies, please do, by mailing in at racingfeedback@sportinglife.com. It's a brilliant under card, as well, with the Prix Marcel Boussac, the Prix Jean Luc Lagardere, the Prix de l'Opera, the Prix de l'Abbaye and the Prix de la Foret taking us right through until 17.15 on a great day's sport. The Arc itself is at 15.05. That's when we'll get to see if Enable can add her name to a glittering cast of all-star Arc winners down the years.