The Arc undercard looks poor - but an Abbaye win for this filly would be my highlight of the season

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I'm sure I'm not the only one a little bit disappointed by the fields at Longchamp on Sunday.

At the forfeit stage there were fewer runners for the Abbaye, Arc and Foret than there have been on the day in the last few years, although I doubt Katie Scott is all that worried that there were only 14 in the sprint.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if her Naana's Shadow, priced up as favourite by the layers following her latest success at Longchamp three weeks ago, were to win?

A filly who Scott picked up for 20,000gns last November and was a 14-1 shot when beaten off a mark of 72 on her seasonal and stable debut at lowly Southwell in April, she is now rated 109 after dotting up over the Abbaye course and distance last time, her fifth win this season.

Small yards have to get remarkably lucky to land on a top-class horse at the sales given their budgets, but Naana's Shadow wouldn't be the first to show they can do a great job when they get one.

Naana's Shadow is the Flat star of 2026 for me and it would be the highlight of my season if she wins again.

Exclusive interview with Katie Scott:

• 'Everyone keeps asking what the secret is' - meet the 21-horse trainer ready to take on Europe's elite at Longchamp 

Where were the British raiders?

The chance to run for a truly huge prize in a handicap only comes along rarely in Britain or Ireland, and I was baffled by the lack of British raiders in the Irish Cesarewitch on Sunday.

The only Flat handicap to rival that race for prize-money in Britain is the Ebor and you needed to be rated as high as 96 for that.

A horse could have got in at the Curragh off just 87 and surely Britain could have come up with more than just the William Haggas-trained Valiancy, who was fancied but ran a stinker.

There are 29 British horses with a rating of 87 or higher entered in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket next week, where they will race for a first prize of just over £90,000.

Surely at least a few more of them could have considered running for the best part of €270,000 in Ireland instead?

Read more...

'Very special' Naana's Shadow books Abbaye date with blistering trial success to give Katie Scott a first Group win 

'She's shown so much improvement' - rapid Naana's Shadow going great guns for Ballinvana House Stud 

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