'It's far from a gamble' - Eclipse hero Vadeni to step up in trip for Arc

Vadeni will head a bolstered home challenge for next month’s Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after being switched from his original collision course at Ascot with Europe’s leading horse Baaeed.

The Eclipse and Prix du Jockey Club winner was expected to take on the unbeaten Juddmonte International winner Baaeed in the Qipco Champion Stakes next month, but the Aga Khan’s team and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget have elected to step the colt up to a mile and a half for the first time in the Arc on October 2.

Although the Aga Khan’s racing manager Georges Rimaud acknowledged Baaeed’s autumn target came up in discussions, he stressed it was not the main influence on the decision to reroute Vadeni to Longchamp with the weather forecast offering encouragement about the likely ground conditions in Paris.

Vadeni’s presence is a major boost for the Arc home team, with Paddy Power and Betfair cutting him to 6-1 (from 14). Luxembourg, who had Vadeni back in third when winning the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, is the general 4-1 favourite.

Rimaud told the Racing Post: "We have decided the forecast for France looks better than England and so we'll stay here and profit from the dry spell. Of course when we discussed where to go the name Baaeed came up but it's not the primary factor in our decision.

Vadeni (green silks) chases home Luxembourg and Onesto in the Irish Champion StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"It really is a question in the first place of taking advantage of the forecast and the ground. We're hoping for going that suits him in Paris and that's why we’ve decided to go there."

Vadeni earned the same rating for his Prix du Jockey Club victory as Desert Crown in the Derby at Epsom 24 hours earlier – a rare feat for a winner of the Chantilly Classic – and consolidated his reputation when defeating older opposition for the first time in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

He was sent off the 7-4 favourite for the Irish Champion Stakes this month but after a troubled passage was unable to pick up the leaders on tacky ground.

Both Rouget and Rimaud appear to have come round to the idea that a sounder surface will see the son of Churchill best and with no significant rainfall forecast, Vadeni is set to try to give the Aga Khan a fifth victory in Europe's premier all-aged race and a third for jockey Christophe Soumillon.

Reflecting on the decision to step up to a mile-and-a-half, Rimaud said: "It's far from a gamble. He's a horse who has won over 2,100 metres and so he stays despite having plenty of speed.

"It's not outrageous to be trying 2,400 metres [a mile and a half] with such a horse. He is by a son of Galileo and his dam is by Monsun and won over 2,300 metres."

George Rimaud: racing manager to the Aga KhanCredit: Edward Whitaker

Soumillon, a winner of the Arc on Dalakhani in 2003 and Zarkava five years later, welcomed the decision, although he believes the mile and a half trip is a valid concern.

Speaking to Equidia, he said: “I'm delighted to have such a ride in the Arc. Apart from anything else, he's a super horse who showed a very high level of form when winning the Prix du Jockey Club.

“We are ambitious. A lot will depend on certain factors, I think most of all, the ground. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him finish in the first three.

“The [stamina] doubt is a valid one, Vadeni is very strong at 2,000, 2,100 metres. But I think he can do well at 2,400. On his best form, Vadeni is capable of extraordinary things, as he showed the day he won the Jockey Club.”

The first forfeit stage for the Arc is next Monday morning, with final declarations on Thursday.

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