Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck scratched from Arc as O'Brien eyes Breeders' Cup

This year’s Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck will not take on Enable in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after he was scratched in the latest round of forfeits.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien said on Monday the ground would need to be good or better for Anthony Van Dyck to line up. But after 5.5mm of rain in the past 24 hours the ground was soft on Wednesday morning and the three-year-old will now sidestep Europe’s richest race for a possible crack at the Breeders’ Cup.

However, the Ballydoyle trainer still has Japan and Magical on course for Longchamp.

The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Soft Light was supplemented for €120,000, meaning a field of 12 remain. The son of Authorized is yet to win on six attempts this season but has finished second on four occasions and finished four lengths behind Grand Prix de Paris winner Japan in his only previous Group 1.

If all 12 line up it will be the smallest Arc field since 2007, when Soft Light's sire finished tenth under Frankie Dettori.

Arc runners

Enable 8-11
Japan 6-1
Sottsass 6-1
Ghaiyyath 10-1
Magical 10-1
Waldgeist 12-1
Fierement 25-1
Blast Onepiece 33-1
French King 50-1
Nagano Gold 50-1
Kiseki 50-1
Soft Light 66-1

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