Cracksman set for Niel after Gosden checks track

John Gosden is leaving nothing to chance for Cracksman's next assignment on Arc Trials day, having inspected the Chantilly track himself on Wednesday.

A best-priced 10-1 shot for the Arc behind stable companion Enable, Cracksman was among seven runners left in the Qatar Prix Niel at Thursday's penultimate declaration stage.

Soft conditions at the beginning of the week and the untimely intervention of some local wild boar have made for an interesting build-up to the meeting for Chantilly supremo Matthieu Vincent and his team but Gosden was pleased with what he saw.

Challenging week: Chantilly director of racing and gallops Matthieu VincentCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

"I went over to Paris [on Wednesday] to check the ground myself and they've done well with the surface during a difficult time," said Gosden. "I'd say the ground will be good after a drying day today and we're happy for Cracksman to take his chance in the Niel. We also run two nice fillies in the Vermeille [Journey and The Black Princess]. I wanted to take a look myself rather than someone else having to make a call at the weekend when I'll be at the Keeneland sales."

The ground was officially good to soft on Thursday morning and could continue to dry, although the forecast is for showers from Friday evening into Saturday morning.

Gosden took Cracksman out of the Dante in May after heavy rain turned the ground testing at York but has no such worries over free-draining Chantilly.

Both trainer and owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer had originally spoken of the Great Voltigeur at York last month as Cracksman's swansong for the year but a six-length defeat of Venice Beach has prompted both men towards a more open mind with regards to the rest of the season.

Frankie Dettori and John Gosden before Cracksman's win in the Great Voltigeur StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Cracksman worked nicely yesterday and the plan is to run in the Niel," said Gosden. "We're taking it one race at a time with him and not ruling anything in or out until we see what happens on Sunday, and how he is after it."

Shakeel heads the home defence in the Niel on what will be his first start since edging out the much-missed Permian in the Grand Prix de Paris on July 14, while Prix Eugene Adam winner Finche is one of two likely starters for Andre Fabre.

Diamond heads likely field for Prix Foy

Six were left in the Prix Foy for four-year-olds and above on the same card, in which Satono Diamond will have his first start outside Japan.

Cloth Of Stars will make his first start since landing the Prix Ganay in a field featuring four individual Group 1 winners.

Six of the remaining 11 entries in the Prix Vermeille are trained in Britain, with Prix Jean Romanet heroine Ajman Princess heading the list alongside another winner at Deauville last month, the Luca Cumani-trained God Given.

The potential raiding party also has Andrew Balding's Blond Me, the Charlie Appleby-trained Endless Time and John Gosden's pair Journey and The Black Princess.

Aidan O'Brien is left with no representatives across the Chantilly card after taking 14 individual horses out of the three trials and the Prix du Moulin on Thursday morning.