Appleby already dreaming of Arc for Ghaiyyath after Longchamp stroll

As an advert for the benefits of wintering in Dubai, Ghaiyyath may have given a glimpse of what to expect at Newbury and Newmarket in the coming weeks, as the highly-regarded Godolphin four-year-old bounded clear to win the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt on Sunday.

Under a positive William Buick ride, Ghaiyyath had settled this as a meaningful contest by the time he had turned out of Longchamp's famed false straight.

While the tactics may have been unconventional, there was no mistaking the quality on show and Paddy Power introduced him at 5-1 for the Group 1 Prix Ganay at the end of the month, with the same firm quoting Ghaiyyath at 20-1 for the Arc at a track where he is now two from two.

"He's improved from three to four and it was a good performance," said Buick, who eased his mount considerably for a length-and-a-half success over Soleil Marin.

"Let's hope he can build on it and we can have an exciting season. He's proven at this trip but I think he could go up in trip, and I think he will eventually, it's a case of when."

My view on Ghaiyyath

Ghaiyyath is remarkable in that he’s one of those horses who runs freely enough, but then finds more instead of falling in a heap. He’s always looked a class act on the Newmarket gallops, where he's ably handled by Frankel’s former work-rider Shane Featherstonhaugh. The Ganay looks there for the taking, and beyond that the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

David Milnes, Newmarket correspondent

Trainer Charlie Appleby has always believed in the colt, who won the Autumn Stakes at two but whose three-year-old season was limited to a single Group 3 win last September.

"From three to four his sire Dubawi has the best stats in the world so I was confident in that, but I was also confident in the horse himself," said Appleby.

"He's always been a very powerful traveller. I said to William, 'Just keep it simple, don’t interfere with him'. William has gone out there and given him a peach of a ride."

While the Ganay is the likely favoured option for Ghaiyyath, Appleby also mentioned the Tattersalls Gold Cup as a plausible alternative.

And while this was only the first meeting of the year at Longchamp, the first Sunday in October can never be far from consideration with a high-class middle-distance horse with proven course form.

"He's two from two here so it’s safe to say he's comfortable here," said Appleby. "The plan has always been to hopefully step him up to a mile and a half in time.

"I'm not going to get away from it, I feel he's potentially an Arc horse. We've got a lot of water to go under the bridge, but he's started off on the right foot."

Morgan a revelation down in trip

She is out of a Prix du Cadran winner in Molly Malone and proved herself among the top stayers in France when third in that marathon contest last October, so punters could be forgiven for having felt an extended mile and a quarter would be on the sharp side for Morgan Le Faye in the Listed Prix Zarkava.

Small but mighty: Morgan Le Faye returns after dominating her rivals in the Listed Prix Zarkava at LongchampCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

But Godolphin's mare cantered onto the heels of Shahnaza under a motionless Mickael Barzalona before striding clear to win in style, pulling two and a half lengths clear.

The Group 2 Prix Allez France at Saint-Cloud is likely to be the next race for Morgan Le Faye, whose only previous attempt at this trip ended with an encouraging second behind Nonza last July.

"She showed her trademark turn of foot, which we think will be better-harnessed over shorter distances this year," said Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard.

Laffon dominates the trials

Carlos Laffon-Parias took both Group 3 Classic trials over a mile and a furlong, with Shaman getting the ball rolling when making all under Maxime Guyon in the Prix La Force.

Carlos Laffon-Parias won both the Classic trials on the Longchamp cardCredit: Edward Whitaker

Laffon-Parias had originally indicated that Shaman would go straight to the Poule d'Essai des Poulains after scoring at Saint-Cloud last month.

"It's lucky I changed my mind isn't it?" said Laffon-Parias. "We'll see what comes out of the Prix Fontainebleau and the other prep races. I have other horses so we'll see if he goes for the Poule or perhaps we campaign him for the Jockey Club via the Greffulhe."

Barely an hour later Laffon-Parias was welcoming another Wertheimer homebred back into the winners' enclosure after Platane got the better of a fine duel with the previously-unbeaten Etoile.

"We looked at it beforehand and didn't want to get trapped on the rail when the leaders came back to them and, while Etoile showed a good turn of foot as well, Maxime always felt he had the measure of her," said Laffon-Parias. "She'll go for the Prix Saint-Alary next."

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