Our top value tipster Matthew Sutcliffe heads over to France on Sunday 5th October for his best bets across the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe card. Live on ITV Racing, it’s set to be a stunning day’s action and he has an eye-bulging 40/1 selection for the big race at 3.05pm.
12:40 Longchamp – Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (Group 1) (2yo Fillies) (Grande Course) (Turf) (2yo) – Esna 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
With three unbeaten fillies and a May Hill winner in here, this renewal of the Marcel Boussac could easily prove above average. However, the unexposed ESNA is pitched in deep here despite making her debut only in August and this well bred daughter of Starman is worth chancing at the odds.
Her dam is a half-sister to listed winner Alakhana, the dam of Meehan’s Jayarebe who landed Prix Dollar on this card last season. Esna made her debut in a 20k Novice at Sandown, travelling strongly throughout in behind the leader and looked as if she’d pick up to win the race. Greenness appeared to get the better of her, succumbing late on to 2/1F Deedaydiva, who’d already had the benefit of a race when a four lengths third on debut to the subsequent G2 Rockfel winner Zanthos, with the second taking a 21k Fillies Maiden at Doncaster next time out.
Esna backed that effort up when cosily landing a Sandown Novice over seven furlongs, and you could’ve called her the winner three out. She drew clear readily at the two pole, but again showed evident signs of greenness when swerving left off a true line, conceding ground late on to the 10/11F Haggas-trained favourite for all she still beat him comfortably.
Visually, she still looks the unfinished article but the fact connections are happy to pitch her in here suggests she’s highly regarded, and if those first two racecourse starts have brought her on then she’s entitled to prove further and spring a surprise in this field.
1:15 Longchamp – Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Group 1) (2yo Colts & Fillies) (New Course) (Turf) (2yo) – Cielo Di Roma 50/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
Romanised colt CIELO DI ROMA looks a touch overpriced with Rayif in here who currently heads the market at 11/4, and is worth a play at the prices. He made his debut in July at Saint Cloud over a mile when second to Campacite, pulling three lengths clear of the third and the winner, who had the benefit of a run, won in listed company next time out and is 12/1 here.
He then dropped to this trip at Deauville and won in the manner of a smart colt, settling well in behind the 7/10F Godolphin leader before angling out and picking up strongly under Alexis Pouchin. While Wollemi did little for the form next time out, it’s worth noting he was beat length by Rayif on debut, which on a collateral form line suggests Cielo Di Roma is overpriced. The third from that race last time out won snugly by three lengths at Saint Cloud and the sixth was also behind Rayif on debut, so if Cielo Di Roma can back up that promising success then he’s certainly not back number in this field.
1:50 Longchamp – Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) (2yo+) (Sprint Course) (Turf) (2yo+) – Sky Majesty 11/1 1pt EW 4 places
With confirmed front runners of Frost At Dawn, Night Raider, First Instinct, Ponntos, Star Of Lady M and Against The Wind, this looks set to be ran at a furious pace. As a result, this could play perfectly into the hands of SKY MAJESTY who drops back to five furlongs for the first time in her career.
The Blue Point filly is a half sister to four winners over the trip including bullet sprinter Democracy Dilemma so she is bred to cope with this distance. She was three from three as a two year old having made her debut last August, taking the Firth Of Clyde Stakes and the Maisons-Laifette at Chantilly, so we know she cope with travelling over.
She was second in her group of six on the far-side in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in a race where you generally had to race prominently, splitting Sprint Cup winner Big Mojo and Nunthorpe second Ain’t Nobody. She returned to the winner’s enclosure with a pair of victories at Naas, latterly in G3 company and she shaped at Haydock as if this drop back in trip would suit given she weakened late on, for all she didn’t have the smoothest of trips.
She’s proven to cope with a slower surface, and in the likely event that this field could come back to those ridden in rear, Sky Majesty looks set to be staying on late with the stamina reserves kicking in.
3:05 Longchamp – Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1) (3yo+ No Geldings) (Grande Course) (Turf) (3yo+) – White Birch 40/1 1pt EW 4 places
Aventure was the spotlight selection in my Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe ante-post for GG and I’d still make her the clear favourite, but at 4/1 there’s value elsewhere for the purposes of this column.
Connections have been incredibly patient with Ulysses colt WHITE BIRCH, and it may finally pay off here. The gorgeous grey revels on a soft surface but still displayed his class when a three length fifth in the 2023 Derby to Auguste Rodin. It wasn’t until his seasonal debut in 2024 when he got his beloved soft ground, and gamely stayed on to beat Maxux in the G3 Alleged Stakes. He then backed that up with G2 success at the Curragh in the Mooresbridge Stakes, before completing a Curragh Group hat trick after defeating Auguste Rodin in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, who later went on to take the G1 Prince Of Wales at Royal Ascot.
After that four-year-old hat trick, he’s 0-3 but ran with credit on each occasions without his soft ground, beaten a neck by Los Angeles when looking to land back to back Mooresbridge Stakes with multiple subsequent G3 winners in behind, and he looked unlucky not to finish closer to Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup when beaten a length into fourth after suffering for room on the rail, finishing close up behind Kalpana.
He prepped well for this when fifth in the Irish Champion Stakes on ground again lively enough, and that should put him spot on for this contest.
He’s long shaped as if twelve furlongs would suit and he’s birthed ideally in stall nine to gain man early prominent position in behind leaders and if given his desired ground, he looks sure to go well given his many collateral form-lines with the British and Irish principles.
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