'Sunday is not good' - rain could turn Arc day ground soft at Longchamp

Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe could be run on soft ground, the man in charge of track conditions warned on Tuesday after the latest forecast predicted more rain will fall at Longchamp this weekend than had previously been expected.

Soft ground would be unlikely to hinder Tarnawa or Hurricane Lane, who have both won in France in the last year when the going was described as very soft or heavy. But it might be a concern for Adayar and Snowfall, neither of whom has shown their best in such conditions.

The going has been officially soft or heavier on Arc day in three of the last four years, including when the race was staged at Chantilly in 2017. However, it was good for four years in five from 2014 to 2018 and the early signs had been that conditions would not be unduly testing this Sunday.

Enable: won the Arc on soft ground at Chantilly in 2017Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

France Galop's racecourse manager Matthieu Vincent said on Tuesday afternoon: "Today it is sunny and it is forecast to be sunny on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday there could be 1mm or 2mm of rain then possibly 1mm on Saturday but Sunday is not good. There could be 10mm or 12mm.

"The ground this morning was good to soft, good in places – 7.6 on the GoingStick. I think for Saturday it will be good to soft. If the rain comes and there is more than 10mm it will be soft on Sunday afternoon."

However, Vincent added: "The forecast changes all the time, yesterday Sunday didn't look so bad, and it may be that the bad weather will be Monday or Tuesday of next week."

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

Fourteen were left in the Arc at Tuesday's second forfeit stage, with Adayar and Snowfall due to be supplemented later this week.

Adayar displaced Tarnawa as the 5-2 favourite with Ladbrokes, whose spokesperson Nicola McGeady said: "Yesterday the money came for Adayar and with support showing no signs of easing up, the Derby hero is now favourite for Sunday’s showdown."

Coral cut the price of Frankie Dettori's mount Love from 20-1 in to 16-1 and spokesman David Stevens said: "I think that can only be down to the Frankie factor – 25 years after the Magnificent Seven he remains the rider with the most loyal following among punters."

'He's always improving'

Last year's Arc fifth Raabihah was among those to stand their ground and a decision on whether she will have another crack at the race or switch to Saturday's Prix de Royallieu is expected on Wednesday.

German-based Marcel Weiss is committed to an Arc bid with Torquator Tasso, who landed the second Group 1 of his career when landing the Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden.

"We're very much looking forward to Sunday," the four-year-old's trainer said. "He's always been special since he was a two-year-old, he showed himself very early on and he's done it right through his racing life.

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"He's always improving and we've been very pleased with his build-up. It's a very hot race, there are only 14 or 16 runners but they will all be hard to beat."

Japanese superstar Yutaka Take will have his ninth Arc ride on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Broome and has spoken of his desire to land a race he first tried to win on White Muzzle in 1994.

The jockey wrote on his website: "It is a race I've been longing to win since I was a child.

Yutaka Take: 'It is a race I've been longing to win since I was a child'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"I've come this far with a strong desire to win someday, and I really want them to win soon. If you don't try, you have no chance and in horseracing you have to try.

"Broome lost to Deep Bond in the prelude, but the effort was excellent and he has been running solidly this season. I will go to France with excitement."

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

Ladbrokes: 5-2 Adayar, 11-4 Tarnawa, 5 Snowfall, 11-2 Hurricane Lane, 9 Chrono Genesis, 16 Love, 20 Deep Bond, Teona, 25 Raabibah, Sealiway, 33 Alenquer, Mojo Star, 40 Torquator Tasso, 66 Broome, 80 Bubble Gift, 100 Baby Rider

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

Dermot Weld: Tarnawa is very well but Chrono Genesis could be hard to beat (Members' Club)

'He holds some brilliant form' – Marquand excited about Arc dark horse Alenquer

2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: essential info for the big race at Longchamp

Adayar v Hurricane Lane: our experts disagree on who is the better Arc candidate

'We have two going to the Arc in great shape' – Hurricane Lane to join Adayar

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