William Buick confident Ghaiyyath has the class to lay it down to Enable in Arc

William Buick is confident brilliant Baden-Baden winner Ghaiyyath has both the class and the versatility to produce a bold show in Sunday's Longchamp showpiece.

The four-year-old thrust himself into the Arc reckoning with a highly impressive performance in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden when he galloped what looked a decent field into the ground, earning both Racing Post and official ratings just 1lb lower than Enable, who will receive a sex allowance on Sunday.

Some have questioned the strength of the form, and there have been suggestions Ghaiyyath might be a one-dimensional front-runner, but Buick said: "I think he's matured and progressed since he was beaten by Waldgeist and Study Of Man in the Ganay, which was a good run anyway, and on his first run at a mile and a half in Germany he was really impressive.

"It was a solid German Group 1 – German Derby and Oaks form – and you have to respect those big races there. Remember Danedream won the Grosser Preis von Baden before she won the Arc, and she wasn't the first.

"On top of that Ghaiyyath won it by 14 lengths with what was a pretty devastating performance – and from a layoff on ground that was quick and rough and not what he would really enjoy."

William Buick: excited to be riding Ghaiyyath in Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

He added: "He'll appreciate getting on the nicer ground at Longchamp, I'm sure of that, and I wouldn't say he's one-dimensional. If the pace is satisfactory there's no reason he wouldn't take a lead, but if it isn't there's no reason we wouldn't go on and do our thing. I think he's flexible.

"In the races in which he's made the running it's suited him, as he's a very exuberant horse, and a very powerful horse with a big long stride. He's the sort of horse with whom the less you interfere the better he is."

Ghaiyyath has always been held in the highest esteem by Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin team, and Buick said: "The Arc is a hard race any year, whatever the opposition, because it's not just the European Championship now, it's the World Championship, but I can't worry too much about Enable.

"She's a magnificent horse – one in a million – and she's been great for racing. We are all very aware of that, and of the fact she's bidding to make history, but we're all going there to do a job and we'll all ride our own race."

Twelve weeks on the sidelines with post head-injury syndrome, during which he missed Epsom, Royal Ascot – where Blue Point completed a memorable King's Stand and Diamond Jubilee double – the July meeting at Newmarket and Goodwood, have served only to heighten Buick's anticipation for Europe's richest race.

The jockey's previous rides in the Arc include two Classic winners, but the closest he has finished has been sixth on Great Heavens in 2012. He said: "I can't really say it's been an unlucky race for me as I've only ridden in the race a handful times and I haven't really had the chances before.

BUICK'S PREVIOUS ARC RIDES

2010 15 of 18 behind Workforce on Duncan
2011 16 of 16 behind Danedream on Masked Marvel
2012 6th of 18 behind Solemia on Great Heavens
2014 18 of 20 behind Treve on Ivanhowe
2015 15 of 17 behind Golden Horn on Eagle Top
2018 12 of 19 behind Enable on Tiberian

"Masked Marvel and Great Heavens would have been my two highest profile rides in the race, and Great Heavens ran a good race in sixth, but the others were outsiders."

Sakhee and Frankie Dettori took the Arc for Godolphin in 2001Credit: Edward Whitaker

GODOLPHIN'S RECENT ARC RECORD

Godolphin have not won the Arc since Sakhee and Marienbard took successive runnings in 2001 and 2002 for Saeed bin Suroor, who also saddled 1995 winner Lammtarra.

However, few of their runners went into the race in the sort of form Ghaiyyath was in at Baden-Baden last time, and there have been four places.

The Andre Fabre-trained Cavalryman lost second to Youmzain only in the last 100 yards or so when the pair filled the places behind Sea The Stars in 2009, but he was not in the same form 12 months later following a switch to Bin Suroor and finished only eighth behind Workforce.

Masterstroke was a remote third for Fabre again behind Solemia and Orfevre in 2012, and the following year Penglai Pavilion outran his odds when fifth in Treve's first Arc.

Both subsequent Godolphin placings have also been for Fabre, behind Enable, with Cloth of Stars beaten two and a half lengths into second in 2017 and by a length into third 12 months ago. Ghaiyyath will be Charlie Appleby's first runner in the race.

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