Should you play or lay these five favourites on Arc weekend at Longchamp?

Arc weekend is almost here! Two days of top-class Flat action await at Longchamp and with the fixture in mind, we have looked at five ante-post favourites assessing whether they rate a lay or play at their current odds . . .

Trueshan

Race: Prix du Cadran

Odds: 11-10

Alan King’s Trueshan returned to winning ways in the Doncaster Cup – despite pulling hard for much of the race – and now heads the market for Saturday’s Prix du Cadran, a race that he won in 2021.

The wind surgery he received following a pair of slightly below-par runs earlier this year seems to have made a big impact on the seven-year-old, and missing most of the summer season should leave him a fresh horse coming into this race.

The dry forecast leading up to the Cadran wouldn’t be ideal for Trueshan but with his main market rival Emily Dickinson also at her best on testing ground, and these remaining rivals looking slightly below Group 1 standard, there seems very little value in taking him on.

Trueshan beats Sweet William in the Doncaster Cup

Trueshan (Hollie Doyle): back to winning ways in the Doncaster CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

Verdict: He returned to winning ways in the Doncaster Cup and on paper this looks like a weaker affair. PLAY

Trueshan15:25 Longchamp

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: Alan King

Ace Impact

Race: Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

Odds: 3-1

Has had all five career starts as a three-year-old, bursting onto the scene with an authoritative success in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly in June.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s colt justified odds of 2-5 in the 1m2f Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville last time, and heads into the Arc a fresh horse having subsequently bypassed the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

He is yet to tackle 1m4f, however, which is a concern for all that he hit the line strongly in the Jockey Club, and this will be his first start in open company, which must be factored into odds of 3-1.

Cristian Demuro and Ace Impact return to the Deauville winner's enclosure

Cristian Demuro and Ace Impact after their victory in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano

Verdict: A high-class colt who should stay 1m4f but this rates the toughest test of his career and 3-1 makes little appeal. LAY

Ace Impact15:05 Longchamp

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: J-C Rouget

Via Sistina

Race: Prix de l’Opera

Odds: 3-1

Has produced form figures of 211132 since joining George Boughey’s yard. Ran out a Group 3 winner at Toulouse last November and she looked every inch a Group 1 mare when demolishing her rivals in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket on her seasonal debut back in April.

Via Sistina brought up the hat-trick when claiming the Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh in July, but her progression has plateaued slightly since then, given that she failed to justify favouritism in either the Falmouth Stakes or last month’s Prix Jean Romanet.

This race looks tougher than the Romanet, while recently in the l'Opera it has paid to focus on three-year-olds, given runners from that age group have claimed seven of the last ten runnings.

Stay Alert (yellow silks) chases the errant Via Sistina at the Curragh

Via Sistina (left): winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh earlier this seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Verdict: Although she has not been disgraced the last twice she has been beaten all the same and this race is even more challenging. LAY

Kinross

Race: Prix de la Foret

Odds: 6-4

A real seven-furlong specialist whose form figures over this distance read 1891143211111 (8-13). Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old broke through at the top level with victory in this race 12 months ago, where he ran out a comfortable two-length winner.

He was beaten in a pair of Group 1 sprints earlier this season but is 2-2 since returning to this trip, claiming the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood before taking the City Of York Stakes last time out – form that has subsequently been franked.

On Racing Post Ratings, that York run was right up there with some of his best performances, and it’s clear that he peaks around this time of the year.

Kinross (Frankie Dettori): successful in the City Of York Stakes last time outCredit: Edward Whitaker

Verdict: Admirably consistent – particularly over this trip – and he will be tough to stop if he matches some of his recent performances. PLAY

Kinross17:00 Longchamp

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: Ralph Beckett

Highfield Princess

Race: Prix de l’Abbaye

Odds: 3-1

A three-time Group 1-winning sprinter last season, but she has endured a slightly frustrating campaign this time around, making the frame in all bar one of her six starts but winning only once (King George Stakes).

There was a potential excuse for her latest below-par showing in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh as she showed signs of being in season post-race.

It would be no surprise to see her bounce back to form here, but her tendency to bump into one is becoming something of a concern and she faces a whole host of up-and-coming sprinters who have the potential to improve past her.