Angus McNae's tips: Japan's Arc contender has strong chance

Kelso, Killarney and Tipperary take centre stage on Racing TV on Sunday, and I have a selection at each of those tracks plus I cannot resist having a go at the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp. Best of luck.

I really like the profile of this mare who arrives here off a lay-off following an easy success in a Listed race at Galway in July.

That win came against some useful opponents and she managed to win by eight lengths, despite not producing a clean round of jumping, and she has now won two of her four starts over hurdles.

She is open to plenty more improvement and will be refreshed after a two-month break plus her trainer, Henry De Bromhead, is in good form.

It is interesting that Aidan Coleman has picked up the ride on her (he also rides Put The Kettle On at Gowran Park on Saturday) and despite a strong challenge from Willie Mullins, she rates as a strong play here.

Japan's wait for an Arc winner could be over on Sunday courtesy of this multiple Grade One-winning mare.

She has not raced since June when she won the Grade One Takarazuka Kinen and that came after finishing second to Mishriff in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.

It is my contention that she would have beaten Mishriff that day with a better ride, as her rider got in a tangle when challenging and failed to switch his whip to his left hand quickly enough.

Oisin Murphy takes over here and at 12-1, this classy mare has to be backed. She looks sure to be played late to utilize her sharp turn of foot and she can win what looks, on paper, to be the most competitive Arc for many a year.

She is effective on soft ground, although if the rain stays away, I would be more confident. Quite simply, she is a fabulous mare and underrated in the market.

Gordon Elliott has returned to the fray with a bang and can gain another winner here with Buddy Rich.

He made a very encouraging debut over fences at Listowel in September where he finished second to the useful Bleu Berry.

He was beaten three lengths, but he jumped well and pulled well clear of the rest which included Birchdale, who is a horse that should be in your Racing TV Tracker.

Bryan Cooper rode him at Listowel and is back on board here. I expect him to give his mount a patient ride, as he did last time, and this horse should be good enough to land this beginners chase.

A rare Enda Bolger runner at Kelso really catches the eye and it could prove to be a shrewd bit of placing.

There is a valuable prize on offer and this Grade Two winner finds himself in a handicap for the first time since Killarney in 2019 where he bolted up off a mark of 162, and now gets to race off 160.

He has been lightly raced since that success but his Grade Two win at Navan, where he gave weight and a beating to A Plus Tard, reads very well.

If he turns up in that sort of form, he will be very hard to beat. He is a strong travelling, front-runner and the pace set up here favours him in that he looks certain to get an easy lead.

Any more rain that falls will not be an issue as his best form has come with some cut in the ground and, despite this being a strong contest, Ballyoisin is a strong fancy.