'This approach has worked so far' - Hukum camp hoping lengthy break can propel King George winner to Arc success

The Hukum camp are hopeful the bold decision to defy convention and go to "the greatest race in the world" with a fresh horse will pay off, with Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold insisting the Owen Burrows-trained King George winner brings the best form into Sunday week's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. 

The average spell from prep run to the Arc this century has been 28.48 days, with the 64-day gap Hukum will bid to defy from Ascot to Longchamp only exceeded by 2010 winner Workforce since the turn of the millennium. He defied 71 days between the same two races, the King George and the Arc.

However, Workforce's victory proves it can be done, and in the six-year-old brother to last season's European champion Baaeed, the Shadwell team are confident they have a horse who is best fresh and have prioritised preparing their contender with his needs in mind rather than conventional wisdom.