Orfevre (yellow and black sleeves): will run in Prix Foy before Arc
PICTURE: Masakazu TakahashiOrfevre completes
home prep for Arc bid
Japan: Orfevre completed his final workout on Friday morning before heading to France for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with his trainer believing the four-year-old can make his presence felt in Paris.
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Reigning horse of the year in Japan, Orfevre worked over half a mile with a stablemate covering the distance in 54.6 seconds, although his trainer Yasutoshi Ikee feels more work needs to be done in France to get his horse spot on for the Arc.
He said: "He moved well but the time was not good. I has asked to rider to ride 53 seconds for four furlongs so the exercise was too light. He will have to do some hard work in Chantilly before his prep race."
Orferve, who departs Japan for France on Saturday, is likely to have his first start in Europe in the Group 2 Prix Foy on September 16 when Christophe Soumillon is booked to ride.
Having started the season with a remarkable run in the Hanshin Daishoten when pulling up halfway down the backstraight after his rider misjudged the distance before running on strongly to just be beaten, Orferve ran down the field in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho Spring.
However, he was much more his old self when landing the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen when "70 per cent fit" according to his trainer who is expecting more come the Arc.
He said: "I trust my staff to help him overcome the risks of travelling. I don't think he has no chance, though there are some very strong contenders for the Arc. If he had no chance he wouldn't go."
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