One of the features of the annual racing season is that great weight-for-age contest, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400 m.), run each season on the first Sunday in October. This year the race will be contested on the first day of the month at the historic Chantilly racecourse, some 50 kms. from the heart of Paris, France. Its usual home – Longchamp – is closed for redevelopment. The race has been slotted in as the fourth race of a seven event card, and is due off at 4:05 p.m. local (7:35 p.m. in India). As many as 18 top-class Thoroughbreds have accepted, vying for the €2,857,000 first prize (about Rs.22 crores), not to mention the munificent allocations for the “placed” runners.

Many an "Arc" result has been determined by the climate. Paris weather at this time of year can be unsettled and treacherous ground is a common occurrence on “Arc” day. Light rain has been forecast for Friday and again on Sunday itself, although Saturday should be sunny. The going should be no worse than "soft" but could perhaps even be "yielding" depending on the precipitation that falls. The false rails set for Saturday will be removed on Sunday, enabling the participants to race on a fresh surface.

Only one of the runners has been supplemented, and that is the hot favourite, Enable (by Nathaniel), whose participation required the payment of a late entry fee of €120,000 (Rs.92 lakhs). A grand filly, in the mould of such heroines of the turf as Allez France and Dahlia, Enable is a home-bred for the hugely successful Juddmonte operation and races in the well-known silks of Prince Khalid Abdullah. Schooled to perfection at Newmarket in England by John Gosden, she is to be ridden by the effervescent Italian ace, Frankie Dettori. She is at home on all kinds of going.

As fans of the race know, fillies and mares have shone in it – albeit in phases – and this is a factor in favour of the public choice. There was a spell in the ‘seventies and ‘eighties when members of the distaff set scored frequently – this was the era of Allez France, Ivanjica, Three Troikas, Detroit, Gold River, All Along, etc. Then the pendulum swung the other way and for about a quarter of a century it was the turn of colts and entires to prevail, punctuated only by the 1993 interjection by Urban Sea. Normal order has been restored since as females have taken five of the last six runnings with the likes of Treve (twice), Solemia, Danedream and Found.

With such a wealth of talent amongst Enable’s opponents, the odds of around “Evens” appear unattractive. Still, all being well, one may realistically expect to see the smiling faces of her entourage in the winner’s enclosure after the event as she is led in by her groom, Imran. The team’s racing manager, Lord Teddy Grimthorpe, was kind enough to confirm, in an exclusive comment to Indiarace.com, that everything was in order. He said “Enable is in good form leading up to the Arc. She takes her racing well and is ready for the greatest challenge of her career.”

The only other British-trained runner in the field is the second favourite (at 8 to 1) and this is the redoubtable Ulysses (by Galileo), from the yard of Sir Michael Stoute. Much improved at four, he has forged a successful partnership with leading rider Jim Crowley, whose seven efforts in India early last year were attended by a pair of victories. That said, the future Cheveley Park Stud stallion was outpointed comprehensively by Enable in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July and will need a career-best effort to bridge the gap.

A Group 1 race in Europe scarcely goes by without one or more runners from the Ballydoyle Stables in Ireland,   presided over by Aidan O’Brien. This time he fields a team of five, all by Galileo! A notable absentee is last year’s runner-up, Highland Reel but last year’s third – Order Of St. George – is back and is in the form of his life.  The trainer’s son, Donnacha O’Brien, has the call in the saddle on the 12 to 1 chance.

Best fancied of the O’Brien quintet at 9 to 1 is a grey three-year-old filly that would have been unbeaten this season had it not been for the size of the head of her stablemate, Hydrangea. One is speaking of the talented Winter, who has been to the 8-10 fur. division in 2017 what Enable has been to the 12 fur. tribe. Winter is stretching out in distance and the presence of Ryan Moore in the saddle is a signal that he expects her to stay. Though the dominant aspect of her dam side breeding is speed, there are many stout elements further back and she shapes as an enticing each-way prospect.

The St. Leger winner, Capri, with Wayne Lordan up is drawn 15 and can be backed at 20 to 1, while Idaho is at 50 to 1 with Seamie Heffernan in the irons. Finally, Seventh Heaven and Pat Smullen will aim to score from draw 17 and this pairing would multiply your wager forty times if successful. Incidentally, O’Brien is trying to break Bobby Frankel’s record for Group 1/Grade 1 wins in a calendar year and has a number of contenders over the weekend.

Having come close on several occasions, the Japanese are back with a horse that may well have been expected to shine had he been at his peak. However, after a gallop on Wednesday, connections of Satono Diamond (by Deep Impact) confessed that they were more hopeful than expectant. The Arima Kinen winner in his native land last Christmas Day has had a lung opener in France, where he finished a tame fourth, and will be steered by Christophe-Patrice Lemaire. They are accompanied by a pacemaker in Satono Noblesse (also by Deep Impact).

The home team includes a trio from the legendary Andre Fabre, seven time winner of this race. Godolphin’s Cloth Of Stars (by Sea The Stars), the Wertheimer hope Plumatic (by Dubawi) and Al Shaqab Racing’s Doha Dream (by Shamardal) are primed and ready to honour their master but realistically this is a tough ask which is why they can be wagered on at 40, 66 and 100 to 1 respectively. All have renowned practitioners of the art of flat race riding aboard, namely Mickael Barzalona, Maxime Guyon and Gregory Benoist.

An intriguing customer is the Aga Khan’s Zarak (by Dubawi) as his dam, Zarkava, won this race in 2008 when trained by Alain de Royer-Dupré, who also schools her son. Zarak is already a Group 1 winner – he took home the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July – but has not been in action for 91 days. What’s more, he has been drawn widest of all in stall 18. Christophe Soumillon continues his partnership with the superbly-bred four-year-old.

Perhaps the strongest link in the French-trained brigade is Brametot (by Rajsaman) whose quest towards invincibility was derailed by an insipid effort in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain at Deauville in mid-August. If there was a flaw somewhere, one can be sure that trainer Jean-Claude Rouget would have spotted it and rectified it, so a better effort may be anticipated.

Past experience shows that the final result is never an ideal one i.e. the first three in the betting ending up being the placed horses. Inevitably, some unconsidered horse accelerates to annex a share of the prize! Given the usual caveats that the draw, pace, adaptability to the ground and luck of the race will play a part, the short list consists of Enable, Winter, Cloth Of Stars and Ulysses.