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Mark Milligan's runner-by-runner Arc guide
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Strong Japanese challenge may be thwarted
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Mark fancies the home team to come out on top
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1 - Giavellotto (Draw 5) Trainer: Marco Botti Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 20/121.00
Admirable type who won the Yorkshire Cup, Princess of Wales's Stakes and Hong Kong Vase in 2024. Also claimed the scalp of Kalpana on the all-weather in the September Stakes at Kempton last time. Entitled to take his chance but soft ground would be a concern.
2 - White Birch (9) T: John Joseph Murphy J: Dylan Browne McMonagle
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 33/134.00
Was in fine form last season, winning all three starts but hasn't been quite at his best this term. Most recently was fifth to Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes and will need to step up considerably to play a part.
3 - Arrow Eagle (16) T: Jean-Claude Rouget J: Ioritz Mendizabal
Star Rating: ⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 80/181.00
Completed a four-timer when taking the Grand Prix de Chantilly in June but found his winning run coming to an end when only sixth to Byzantine Dream in the Prix Foy over the Arc C&D last time. Hard to fancy on that showing.
4 - Sosie (3) T: Andre Fabre J: Stephane Pasquier
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 8/19.00
Fourth in last year's Arc, this Sea The Stars colt is entitled to strip fitter for his recent outing when second to Byanztine Dream in the Prix Foy (coming off a 10-week break there). Wouldn't be a big surprise if he overturned that form here and his chance is respected.
5 - Los Angeles (14) T: Aidan O'Brien J: Wayne Lordan
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 30/131.00
Last year's third was the winner of his first two starts this season at the Curragh (Mooresbridge Stakes and Tattersalls Gold Cup) and ran respectably when making the places behind Byzantine Dream and Sosie in the Foy last time. First-time cheekpieces probably need to elicit some improvement if he's to go two places better in this year's renewal.
6 - Byzantine Dream (15) T: Tomoyasu Sakaguchi J: Oisin Murphy
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 9/110.00
Japanese raider was better than ever when taking the Prix Foy from Sosie and Los Angeles last time and holds clear claims if able to replicate that form. Softer ground would be an unknown but he stays further than this and is right in the reckoning.
7 - Estrange (18) T: David O'Meara J: Daniel Tudhope
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 16/117.00
Has won five of her seven starts but proved no match for Minnie Hauk when second in the Yorkshire Oaks at York last time. However, she's much better with cut in the ground and comes into it if Longchamp receives plenty of rain in the next 48 hours, though her wide draw is far from ideal.
8 - Quisisana (7) T: Francis-Henri Graffard J: Alexis Pouchin
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 28/129.00
Five-year-old mare is still lightly raced and has won all three starts this season, producing a career best when taking the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August. She'll need another step forward here, though, and would be something of a surprise winner.
9 - Kalpana (10) T: Andrew Balding J: Colin Keane
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 12/113.00
Proved better than ever when runner-up to Calandagan in the King George at Ascot in July but wasn't at her best when second to Giavellotto on the all-weather last time. Didn't find everything going to plan that day (met some trouble) and she's in the mix based on that Ascot form.
10 - Aventure (12) T: Christophe Ferland J: Maxime Guyon
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 7/24.50
Last year's runner-up has barely put a foot wrong this season, winning three of her four starts, including the Prix Vermeille last time (going one place better than in 2024). Looks one of the leading home lights once again and should give a very good account.
11 - Daryz (2) T: Francis-Henri Graffard J: Mickael Barzalona
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 9/110.00
Carries the famous Aga Khan silks that have been so prevalent in this race over the years and is certainly bred for the job, being by Sea The Stars out of high-class mare who relished this 1m 4f trip. Daryz himself has yet to race over this far but gives every indication that he could well improve for it. Was narrowly beaten by Croix Du Nord over 1m 2f last time but this stiffer test should be right up his alley. Looks a big player at a value price.
12 - Leffard (6) T: Jean-Claude Rouget J: Cristian Demuro
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 40/141.00
Showed improved form to win the Grand Prix de Paris over this C&D in July but couldn't match that when only sixth to Cualificar in the Prix Niel last time, albeit not seen to best effect held up off a steady gallop. Should get this run more to suit but still needs to take a sizeable step forward.
13 - Cualificar (8) T: Andre Fabre J: William Buick
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 12/113.00
Godolphin-owned hope has won four of his six starts this season, including when taking the Prix Niel over this C&D last time. Had previously been put in his place over shorter by Japanese raider Alohi Alii but this trip should play more to his strengths. Likely needs to find a bit of improvement, though.
14 - Hotazhell (11) T: Mrs J Harrington J: Shane Foley
Star Rating: ⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 70/171.00
Irish outsider would be a shock winner, his fourth to Delacroix last time being just about the best effort of his season so far. Was a smart juvenile but hasn't really gone on from that and doesn't look a genuine Group 1 performer at this stage.
15 - Croix Du Nord (17) T: Takashi Saito J: Yuichi Kitamura
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 10/111.00
One of a trio of Japanese raiders and has been beaten only once in five career starts, producing a career best when narrowly denying Daryz in a Group 2 over 1m 2f at this track last time. Won the Japanese Derby over this trip so stepping back up will be no issue, but hasn't fared well with the draw and very soft ground would be an unknown.
16 - Alohi Alii (4) T: Hiroyasu Tanaka J: Christophe Lemaire
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 14/115.00
The third member of the Japanese challenge appears to have fared better with the draw than his compatriots and also has the assistance of the excellent Christophe Lemaire in the saddle. Stepped up markedly on form when winning a Group 2 over 1m 2f at Deauville last time (Cualificar third) but dictated a slow tempo there and may not be quite so good as that makes him seem.
17 - Minnie Hauk (1) T: Aidan O'Brien J: Christophe Soumillon
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 7/24.50
Aidan O'Brien's filly hasn't put a foot wrong since finishing runner-up on debut last season and completed a five-timer when comfortably beating Estrange in the Yorkshire Oaks last time. Has been freshened up with this target in mind and looks sure to be bang there under a jockey who's won this race twice in the past.
18 - Gezora (13) T: Francis-Henri Graffard J: Tom Marquand
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Price at 2pm Thursday: 12/113.00
The French Oaks winner found only Aventure too good in the Prix Vermeille last time and is still relatively low mileage. It's also worth bearing in mind she wasn't given an overly hard race there on the back of a 12-week break. Has Tom Marquand in the saddle for the first time and wouldn't be the biggest surprise if she stepped up.
Arc Verdict & 1-2-3
Possibly not the deepest renewal of the Arc that we've seen but it's no less competitive for it.
Minnie Hauk sets a good standard and it's hard to escape the fine record that fillies have in the race, but preference is for three-year-old colt Daryz, who should relish his first crack at this trip and has drawn well in stall two.
The Japanese launch a strong three-pronged challenge as they attempt to win the race for the first time, but deep ground would be a question mark for those raiders if plenty of rain arrives and I'm taking the French to keep the prize at home, with Aventure fancied to make up the places.
1. Daryz
2. Minnie Hauk
3. Aventure
Back Daryz, each-way, in Longchamp 15:05 Sunday