Arc countdown: Aidan O’Brien casts doubt over the participation of Love

Aidan O’Brien has raised doubts about the participation of Love in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, amid the prospect of significantly testing conditions in Paris on Sunday.

The Galileo filly has carried all before her this season, claiming the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket before adding the Oaks at Epsom and Yorkshire Oaks at York.

She has been aimed at the Arc since her victory on the Knavesmire in August – and with it an eagerly-anticipated showdown with the John Gosden-trained Enable, who is looking to make history as the first horse to win the Arc three times.

However, she has never won on ground softer than "good" and has been friendless in the ante-post betting in recent days.

Having started the week as short as 6-4, she is out to 4-1. On Betfair at 10.20pm on Wednesday, she was available to back at 6.6, or 11-2.

With the going reported to be very soft and an unsettled forecast before the weekend, O’Brien told the Daily Mirror: “When you start getting into extremes – especially when you start talking about heavy ground in France – we have to be realistic.

“We have to make a decision at 9.30am on Friday. Nothing is on or off until we believe things are right.”

O’Brien added Serpentine to his team at a cost of 72,000 euros, after being pleased with his first run since his runaway triumph at Epsom.

Serpentine blew away the cobwebs on his first public outing for 71 days when fourth to stablemate Mogul in the Grand Prix de Paris over the Arc course and distance two and a half weeks ago.

Mogul, Japan and Sovereign complete the Ballydoyle trainer’s raiding party.

Enable is 6-4 favourite to make history and win the Arc for a third time. His stablemate, Stradivarius, is now no bigger than 13-2 having been 14-1 at the weekend.