Timeform preview Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The Top-Rated

Enable (Timeform weight-adjusted rating: 141)

Enable has compiled an extraordinary record, winning 15 of her 18 starts, with two Arc victories among a haul of 11 Group 1s. She produced her very best performance in this race three years ago, when she earned a Timeform master rating of 134 with a two-and-a-half-length success over Cloth of Stars, but she has maintained a high level since then, and the form she has shown over the past couple of seasons is still better than anything her rivals have achieved.

Very soft ground at Longchamp has resulted in the withdrawal of dual classic winner Love, but Enable will have no problem with testing conditions. She won the 2017 King George – the first of three victories in that race – on soft ground and she was only narrowly denied in last year’s Arc, by no means disgraced when overhauled close home by Waldgeist in a race that placed the emphasis on stamina.

Her whole campaign has been geared around this race and, arriving on the back of two comfortable victories, she looks to have plenty in her favour.

Trainer John Gosden is also responsible for Stradivarius, who is behind only Enable on weight-adjusted ratings. He has dominated the staying division and produced a career-best effort on testing ground when winning a third Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, so he will be well suited if the Arc turns into a slog. Sunday’s contest should certainly suit him better than the Prix Foy, in which he finished runner-up last time, as that was run at a crawl on fast ground.

The Improver

Raabihah (129p)

Raabihah has plenty to find on form, rated 12 lb behind the standard-setting Enable on Timeform’s weight-adjusted figures, but she has made a promising start to her career and could still have more to offer. She won a Cagnes-Sur-Mer maiden before comfortably landing a listed race at Longchamp, and she took her form to a higher level when fourth in a strong edition of the French Oaks, faring best of the home team. The form of that classic has been franked by the subsequent performances of Fancy Blue, Alpine Star and Peaceful – the first three home at Chantilly – while Raabihah herself was an easy winner of a Group 3 at Deauville. She was sent off a short-price favourite for the Prix Vermeille on the back of that stylish success, but was unable to reel in a rival who showed a better turn of foot in a steadily-run race. She needs to take a big step forward and is unproven on soft ground, but she is a filly to be positive about.

The Eyecatcher

Sottsass (136)

Last season’s French Derby winner Sottsass has had a relatively low-key campaign this time around, but he has still bagged a Group 1 courtesy of a hard-fought success in the Prix Ganay, and he has run up to his best in defeat the last twice. Sottsass was only narrowly denied by a very smart rival when attempting to concede 7 lb in a Group 3 at Deauville, and he caught the eye doing some good late work when fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month, keeping on in the style of a horse who will benefit from the return to a mile and a half. Sottsass has not run over a mile and a half since finishing third in last year’s Arc, but he saw things out strongly on that occasion and should launch another bold bid.

The Verdict

Enable is clearly the horse to beat as she goes in search of a third Arc and she won’t be fazed by the testing conditions that led to the withdrawal of Love. A bold bid looks on the cards from Enable, who has done well to maintain such a high level as a six-year-old, but whether she should be 5/4 when Sottsass can be backed at 8/1 is up for debate. Sottsass was only a length and three-quarters behind Enable in last year’s Arc and, given that was just his seventh start and second at the trip, it’s reasonable to think he could still have a bit more to offer. He holds solid each-way claims.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings:

141 Enable

139 Stradivarius

136 Persian King, Japan and Sottsass