Who stands in the way of Baaeed finishing his career unbeaten in the Arc?

With the news connections are seriously considering giving Baaeed his career swansong in Europe's traditional middle-distance showpiece, what does the likely shape of the opposition look like five weeks out from the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?

In the first of a weekly series building up to Longchamp on October 2, France correspondent Scott Burton runs the rule over contenders from Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Japan.

Alpinista

Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott
Odds: 6-1

Kirsten Rausing's daughter of Frankel has now strung five Group 1s together and it is clear connections felt it was important to show the home crowds what she has been up to in Germany and France. Alpinista is a model of consistency, her Yorkshire Oaks official rating of 120 backing up four 118 efforts in Europe. Sir Mark Prescott would prefer good ground for her, but she has form on a softer surface.

Where will we see her next?

The five-year-old mare has had the Arc as her target all season and will be heading straight to Longchamp, having completed her prep with victory in the Yorkshire Oaks earlier this month.

Alpinista: won the Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor festivalCredit: Edward Whitaker

Titleholder

Trainer: Toru Kurita
Odds: 7-1

The first of four potential runners from Japan, Titleholder had most of Japan's best middle-distance horses behind him when landing a third Group 1 in the Takarazuka Kinen. His previous top-level wins had come over 1m7f and 2m but this son of Derby winner Duramente is anything but a plodder. He would be a first ride in the Arc for Kazuo Yokoyama.

Where will we see him next?

He goes straight for the Arc without a prep and is set to make the long journey to Longchamp in September.

Torquator Tasso

Trainer: Marcel Weiss
Odds: 7-1

Having stunned the racing world when swooping late to win the 2021 race at odds of 72-1, Germany's third Arc winner has since shown there was no fluke about that success, running a huge race to be second in the King George on by far the fastest ground he has encountered.

Where will we see him next?

He will tune up for the Arc with a defence of his title in the Grosser Preis von Baden next Sunday, with Frankie Dettori booked as regular rider Rene Piechulek is claimed elsewhere.

Vadeni

Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget
Odds: 10-1

The Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse winner is fully focussed on the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes for now and neither Jean-Claude Rouget nor the entourage of owner-breeder the Aga Khan have shown a great deal of enthusiasm for turning up three weeks later. A dominant performance at Leopardstown could change their thinking, though waiting for Ascot is at least as likely.

Where will we see him next?

We do not have to wait long to see one of the most impressive three-year-olds of the season, as he tackles the aforementioned Irish Champion Stakes on September 10.

Vadeni: Coral-Eclipse hero will be seen next in the Irish Champion StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Onesto

Trainer: Fabrice Chappet
Odds: 12-1

Like Vadeni, Onesto is heading to Ireland on September 10 but, armed with the knowledge that his colt stays 1m4f, trainer Fabrice Chappet has talked openly of a tilt at the Arc. He might be the only horse in France that has a turn of foot in the same post code as that of Baaeed, but his holdup style will not make life easy, while he is unproven on soft ground.

Where will we see him next?

Will take on the likes of Vadeni and Luxembourg at Leopardstown as his last stop before the Arc.

Do Deuce

Trainer: Yasuo Tomomichi
Odds: 14-1

This year's Japanese Derby winner is a relatively rare three-year-old challenger from Japan – Kizuna was fourth in 2013 and Makahiki 14th in 2016 – and will be the mount of 53-year-old Yutaka Take. Like his two predecessors Do Deuce will warm up in the Prix Niel and represents one of his nation's finest trainers in terms of travelling horses abroad, Yasuo Tomomichi.

Where will we see him next?

Do Deuce could be another Arc contender to line-up in the Irish Champion Stakes as part of his Longchamp prep or the Prix Niel, as he has no other entries before October 2.

Pyledriver

Trainers: William Muir and Chris Grassick
Odds: 14-1

While this year's King George at Ascot may not have gone to plan for several of the fancied runners, there was no doubting the quality of Pyledriver's winning performance. What's more, he might have gone close in the Dubai Sheema Classic with a clear run so it's pretty clear that at the age of five, he is at the peak of his powers.

Where will we see him next?

He is more likely than not to go straight there without a prep run.

Westover

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Odds: 20-1

Juddmonte may feel they have been here before with a middle-distance Classic winner that ran well below expectations in the King George and was then not seen until the Arc. The outcome was a happy one in the case of Workforce, who overcame a 71-day absence to win at Longchamp in 2010 and the comparisons with the long-striding Westover don't stop there. This year's Irish Derby winner remains of significant interest and was certainly not inconvenienced by a six-week hiatus between his Sandown Classic Trial success and a storming effort at Epsom.

Where will we see him next?

Another who is set to head straight to Longchamp.

Luxembourg: an Arc dark horse?Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Luxembourg and Tuesday

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Odds: 16-1 (Luxembourg), 20-1 (Tuesday)

It has been rare in the last two decades to get this deep into the list of Arc pretenders before mentioning Aidan O'Brien. Luxembourg's season was derailed almost before it had begun after picking up a muscle injury in the build up to the Derby. He showed plenty of fight along with the rustiness when winning the Royal Whip on his comeback and the Irish Champion will tell us much more. Oaks winner Tuesday lost little in defeat to Alpinista at York and could also enter calculations, although she would need to be supplemented.

Where will they run next?

Luxembourg is set to be part of a cracking Irish Champion Stakes, while Tuesday has an entry in that race too, along with the Group 1 Matron Stakes on the same day and the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Arc weekend.

The wildcards

Jean-Claude Rouget has a fine crop of middle distance colts this year and he has never hidden his admiration for Al Hakeem, who looks likely to head straight to Longchamp on the back of his win in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano.

Grand Glory enjoyed a fine spring and while she was well held in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, a decent performance in the Prix Vermeille could boost the chances of Gianluca Bietolini's classy mare.

Grand Glory: notable outsider for the ArcCredit: Racing Post/Scott Burton

Hurricane Lane was only narrowly beaten in third last year and remains interesting once there is some ease in the ground, while New London could attempt to follow the same path as his stablemate 12 months on with the St Leger as his target.

Japan has two further cards to play, with last year's Prix Foy winner Deep Bond set to run without a prep under Yuga Kawada and Christophe Lemaire booked for Sunday's Deauville runner-up, Stay Foolish.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp, October 2)

Paddy Power: 4-6 Baaeed (non-runner money back), 6 Titleholder, 13-2 Alpinista, 7 Torquator Tasso, 8 Vadeni, 12 Onesto, 14 Do Deuce, Pyledriver, Westover, 16 bar

Bet365: 2 Baaeed, 6 Alpinista, Titleholder, 7 Torquator Tasso, 9 Vadeni, 12 Do Deuce, Onesto, 14 Pyledriver, 16 bar

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