Ace Impact team show no sign of nerves as Arc favourite goes through his paces at Deauville before big test

The floodlights at Deauville racecourse were installed in 2021 primarily to extend the betting day during the winter months.

But without them the small band of onlookers gathered for Ace Impact's last hit-out on turf would be reduced to the only two highly visible points of reference; a yellow baseball cap bearing the logo of an exclusive Marrakesh golf club sported by Jean-Claude Rouget, along with the deep orange of Cristian Demuro's cap silk. All else would be shadowy blues, greys and bays.

Rouget had entertained a broad swathe of the press six days earlier when the Arc favourite did a strong piece of work and, perhaps sensing when the welcome might be wearing thin, almost all have stayed away on this final Monday before the talking truly stops.