Classic winners Adayar and Snowfall added to Arc field

Classic winners Adayar and Snowfall have, as expected, been supplemented for Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.

Connections of Derby and King George hero Adayar, who is trained by Charlie Appleby, and Aidan O’Brien’s Snowfall, winner of the English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks, stumped up the 120,000 euros fee to be added to what is shaping into a stellar renewal of the autumn showpiece.

Adayar’s stablemate Hurricane Lane, winner of the Irish Derby and St Leger, remains in the reckoning along with the Dermot Weld-trained Tarnawa, a multiple Group One winner who was edged out by St Mark’s Basilica in the Irish Champion Stakes last time.

O’Brien also has last season’s star filly Love and Broome in the Group One highlight, for which 16 remain in contention following Wednesday’s forfeit stage.

Alenquer from William Haggas’ yard, the Richard Hannon-trained Mojo Star and Roger Varian’s Teona also represent British interests while Bubble Gift, Sealiway, Baby Rider and Raabihah form the home defence.

Torquator Tasso is a German hope, with Japan set to be double-handed with the Takashi Saito-trained Chrono Genesis, the mount of Oisin Murphy, and Deep Bond for Ryuji Okubo.

As opportunities go, the one handed to James Doyle in this weekend’s Arc takes some beating.

Not many jockeys have had to discard a triple Group One winner heading into the European middle-distance championship – but that is the situation William Buick faced as he opted for Derby and King George hero Adayar over Hurricane Lane, who will now be partnered by Doyle in Paris as the second jockey to trainer Charlie Appleby.

Hurricane Lane’s sole career defeat came behind Adayar at Epsom and he has subsequently won the Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger.

Doyle knows what is required having gone agonisingly close to denying Enable a second Arc in 2018 aboard Sea Of Class – and is aware his mount ticks a lot of the boxes.

“It can’t have been an easy decision for Will. There’s not much between the two. It’s exciting,” said Doyle.

As is often the case in the days before the Arc, most of the talk is around the weather and plenty of rain is forecast.

“He’s proven on soft ground. It won’t worry him and the trip is fine. Back to a mile and a half should be perfect,” said Doyle.

“He’s won the Grand Prix de Paris round there, so he’s had a good look at the place before.”

Deep Bond warmed up for the race with victory in the Prix Foy over the course and distance earlier in the month when ridden from the front by Cristian Demuro.

However, he will be ridden by Mickael Barzalona in the Arc and the rider was on board for a gallops spin on Wednesday morning.

Speaking via an interpreter, Okubo said: “Cristian couldn’t ride for various reasons and I was surprised that Mickael Barzalona was free in the race.

“It will depend on the weather (how Deep Bond is ridden). There is rain forecast over the weekend, so the ground is going to be a little bit softer than it was on the day of the Prix Foy.

“Everything will really depend on the pace of the race and also the draw.

“In Japan he doesn’t usually run from the front, he usually drops in behind the leader and obviously on Sunday we will have to think how that will pan out, but we wouldn’t want to have Chrono Genesis just sitting behind.”

Jean-Claude Rouget's Raabihah had the option of running against fillies in the Prix de Royallieu - but the decision to aim for gold was taken to see if she could better last year's fifth place behind stablemate Sottsass.

"It is similar to Sottsass in a way as he was third in the Arc and came back to win it. Like him, she appeared not the same horse in the spring as the year before, but it is hard for them to come back after tough races at three. She has been prepared for this race," said Rouget.

"It was her work last week which convinced us to take the Arc route. She worked with Coeursamba (French 1000 Guineas winner) and that work was decisive.

"I'm not in the habit of talking up my horses, but she deserves her chance. It's more my decision than the family or Angus Gold (racing manager), but they followed me so I hope I don't disappoint them. She will go to stud next year, but could have one more race somewhere this year."