Zarkava, the undisputed market leader for quite some time in the Arc de Triomphe, drew the poll position for Sunday’s Longchamp showpiece. Considered a ‘wonder’ filly, the unbeaten Zarkava will have Christophe Soumillon in the saddle. Jockey Soumillon won the 2003 Arc with Dalakhani, owned by the Aga Khan.

Alain Royer Dupre, Zarkava’s trainer, was far from pleased. “It is not ideal. As several races will already have been run and taking into account the rain which is forecast, I’m afraid that this (inside) piece of ground would have deteriorated. I would prefer it does not rain on Sunday.”

Longchamp was reported to be ‘good to soft’ Friday morning. There were spells of rain alternating with periods of sunshine. In the argument between the sun and the raingod, neither won. Rain has been forecast for Saturday. My belief is that Longchamp will have ‘soft’ going on Sunday. There is nonstop Stakes action on Sunday but Saturday’s card is, by no means, substandard. There are some much sought after Graded events.

In 1964, Prince Royal won the Arc from post 1. It was the year that the starting stalls were introduced for the first time. Post 7 has been the most productive in recent years and trainer Andre Fabre’s Getaway has that coveted post on Sunday. Youmzain has post 3. Meisho Samson, the Japanese star, leaves from post 4. Soldier of Fortune, my choice on a soft track, will have post 9 and is reunited with Seamus Heffernan. Duke pf Marmalade, trainer O’Brien’s flagbearer, will have John Murtagh and comes out of post 14. Papal Bull, to be ridden by the in-form Jimmy Fortune, has post 5. Red Rock Canyon, O’Brien’s pacemaker and Colm O’Donoghue’s mount, has post 13. Vision d’Etat, unbeaten in a brilliant career, leaves from post 8. Kamsin, the German sensation, has post 12.

Soldier of Fortune won the 2007 Irish Derby at the Curragh when the Kildare track was a sea of mud. Jockey Heffernan knows him best. On the basis of the expected underfoot conditions which the Soldier will relish, he is my pick in the Arc. On a fast track, Zarkava will be hard to down.

A note about America. There is important stakes action on Saturday but the focus will be on Zia Park in New Mexico. Pepper’s Pride will try to make it 17 in a row in an allowance race.

At Newmarket on Friday, my picks in the two Group I races won but I am in Paris. In retrospect, I could have made a (double) wager on Serious Attitude and Bushranger.

Bushranger won the Shadwell Middle Park Stakes as the 15-8 favourite. Bushranger, trained by David Wachman based in Ireland, has now won two Group I races Bushranger’s odds for the 2000 Guineas in 2009 were cut to 14-1.

John Murtagh rode Bushranger. Taken to the centre of the track and sent in chase of Sayif, Jamie Spencer up, Bushranger drew clear in the last 100 metres. The winning margin was a length and three quarters and the time for the 1200-metre race was 1. 0.58 on a good to firm track. The winner’s share of the purse was 111,000 pounds.

“He is a grand little horse. I’m learning a lot about him. He is a strong two year-old and he is very professional.” Jockey Murtagh said.

Racing on the far side and always in touch with the leaders, Serious Attitude, with Jimmy Fortune, proved the best when it mattered in the Chevely Park Stud Stakes. Unbeaten in three starts now, Serious Attitude was the 4-1 favourite. Serious Attitude gave trainer Rae Guest the biggest win of his career. One half length was the winning margin and the winner clocked 1. 9.94 for 1200 metres. Serious Attitude won 135,000 pounds.

Rae Guest was delighted. “She is a good two year-old. Her breeder put her on to me and she’s done very well. She is by Mtoto but very fast. Hopefully, we will go for the 1000 Guineas next year.”

In the Joel Stakes at Newmarket, Mike de Kock’s Eagle Mountain got the better of Bankable, the 2-1 favourite. Eagle Mountain was ridden by Kevin Shea and was a 5-1 choice. Bankable, an expensive failure in Royal Ascot’s National Hunt Cup, was ridden by Dane O’Neill.

I am typing this report late Friday afternoon in Paris. I could not go to Saint Cloud. I will take in harness action at Vincennes later today. From where I am, I have to take two trains to get to Vincennes. The first race is at 8:15 P M. The program ends at 11:15 P M. Harness fields are huge in France. Twenty-horse fields are common. It is a spectacle to see racing under the lights.