Rouget commits Raabihah to Arc run with Mickael Barzalona to ride Deep Bond

On a second day where every one of the remaining entrants stood their ground for the Arc – plus two widely-anticipated supplementaries brought the field to 16 before final declarations on Thursday – the otherwise serene countdown to the 100th running was enlivened on Wednesday morning by some musical chairs on the riding front.

Shadwell and Jean-Claude Rouget have decided to roll the dice and run last year's fifth home Raabihah, rather than take the apparently easier route of the fillies'-only Prix de Royallieu 24 hours earlier.

That means Rouget's retained rider Cristian Demuro will be on board Raabihah, having ridden Japanese hopeful Deep Bond to victory in the Prix Foy on Arc Trials day.

Mickael Barzalona will ride Japanese hopeful Deep Bond in Sunday's Arc after Cristian Demuro switched to RaabihahCredit: Patrick McCann

Trainer Ryuji Okubo has turned to Mickael Barzalona, runner-up in 2017 aboard Cloth Of Stars, for the mount on Deep Bond. Barzalona rode the son of Kizuna in a piece of work on Wednesday morning and rekindles a relationship that goes back eight years.

"It was originally Cristian Demuro who was due to ride him but he is no longer available," said Okubo. "Mickael Barzalona now takes the ride and I was surprised he was still free for the Arc.

"In 2013 he came to Japan and he rode a winner for me so I know him well. He is the best choice to ride Deep Bond on Sunday."

Raabihah was cut by several firms on the news of her confirmed participation, though Paddy Power, Betfair and William Hill have held the line at 20-1.

3.05 Longchamp Sunday: Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe racecard and betting

"The filly was kept in training because of how well she ran in the Arc last year and with the idea that she would run again this year with a chance," Rouget told a France Galop press conference on Wednesday.

"The spring didn't go quite as we had liked and while we didn't abandon the plan, we also looked at another plan for the end of the year, namely the Prix de Royallieu.

"Her two runs over the summer were reassuring and we really rediscovered the filly with her win at Deauville, and her work has been as good as it was last year."

Rouget added: "There will be several horses lining up who have had a tiring season and we are playing the freshness, while the ground won't bother her on the evidence of last year. You can't win if you're not in."

Jean-Claude Rouget: Raabihah's impressive work at home has convinced the trainer to send her to the ArcCredit: Patrick McCann

Raabihah looked for much of 2020 to be Rouget's main Arc hope until Sottsass came to life following his run in the Irish Champion Stakes, and the trainer admitted that he was seeing similarities in the way Raabihah has bloomed in the last couple of weeks.

"You could say it's the same sort of pattern with a horse who is a little bit under par in the spring following a hectic three-year-old career and she is now better than she was in the spring.

"This week she hasn't done too much but really it was her work last week that convinced me. She did a pretty serious gallop alongside [Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner] Coeursamba and that was decisive when it came to choosing which way to go.

"The filly is really in good form and I'm not someone who likes to put their horses out of their depth. It is more my decision and Angus Gold and the owners have been happy to follow me in. I hope they're not disappointed.

"It's a difficult challenge and if she runs well in the Arc she could have one more run before she is retired."

The late Hamdan Al Maktoum never won the Arc during his long career as an owner-breeder, and didn't even have a runner between the unlucky third-placed effort of Taghrooda in 2014 and Raabihah 12 months ago.

Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp, October 3)

Coral: 5-2 Adayar, 11-4 Tarnawa, 9-2 Hurricane Lane, 11-2 Snowfall, 9 Chrono Genesis, 16 Love, Teona, 20 Deep Bond, 25 Raabibah, 33 Sealiway, Alenquer, 50 Mojo Star, Torquator Tasso, 66 Broome, Bubble Gift, 80 Baby Rider

Read more on the 2021 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe:

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: Adayar and Snowfall supplemented for €120,000

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe forfeits: Mojo Star not certain to run as 14 remain

'I hope she'll put up a huge performance' – Murphy thrilled with Chrono Genesis

2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe tips: why this horse can win Sunday's big race

Who will win the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe based on previous trends?

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