Three horses who should relish the testing ground at Longchamp on Sunday

With the ground officially holding at Longchamp on Sunday, it is sure to take plenty of getting on Arc day. Here are three horses who should thrive under the testing conditions.

Hurricane Lane takes over as Arc favourite as rain turns Longchamp holding

1.50 Longchamp

In our pre-race quotes, Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to owner Marc Chan, says "the ground made the difference" to Angel Bleu both at Pontefract and Goodwood.

The juvenile is unbeaten in two runs on a soft surface and has had a decent break to get over his Vintage Stakes win, which came just three days after running at Ascot.

Angel Bleu: hasn't been seen since winning at Glorious GoodwoodCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Similarly to Ebro River, the surface will have bolstered connections of this horse so don't be surprised if the market speaks in his favour with Frankie Dettori once again booked to ride.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe tips: expert 1-2-3 predictions for the big race

3.05 Longchamp

There have been nibbles for the William Haggas-trained colt over the last 48 hours and he is now as short as 12-1 (from 33s).

The trainer had eight winners on Saturday and the ground has come for this three-year-old, who won the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on ground officially described as heavy – and don't forget he beat Adayar on good ground before that.

Alenquer: won't be inconvenienced by testing conditionsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Alenquer is by the late Adlerflug, whose progeny tend to prefer testing conditions, and In Swoop very nearly pulled off a victory for the sire in this race last year.

'A live each-way player' – three who will relish a soft-ground Arc

A lot of the formlines in this year's Prix de l'Opera cross over and a few strands of them involve this mare, who came to within a neck of beating Audarya in last year's Prix Jean Romanet on soft ground.

She has also won both a Group 2 on soft ground and a Group 3 on heavy ground, so her record suggests these conditions will bring out the best in her.

Out of an Oaks winner in Talent, Ambition managed fifth in this race 12 months ago and although out of form this season, could run well if bouncing back to her best with Gerald Mosse on board.

Sunday's race previews:

1.15 Longchamp: rain could mean Andre Fabre decides to miss Boussac with star filly Raclette

1.50 Longchamp: why Andre Fabre's race record means we should take note of his Lagardere runner

3.05 Longchamp: the lowdown on Adayar, Tarnawa and more in the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

3.05 Longchamp: a blue day in Paris? Keith Melrose assesses who will come out on top in the Arc (Members' Club)

3.50 Longchamp: James Fanshawe letting Audarya's jockey 'get on with it' from low Opera draw

4.25 Longchamp: 'She's been there and done it' – Glass Slippers camp bullish before Abbaye bid

5.00 Longchamp: I've been trying to get Space Blues in the race for three years – Charlie Appleby

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