Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Europe's richest race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere, takes place at Longchamp tomorrow at 3.40 BST. I'd like to start with a quick word for absent friends. Earlier in the season I fancied the filly Peeping Fawn for this but Ballydoyle's commercial breeding considerations appear to have taken priority and she hasn't been given an entry. Manduro then looked the real deal but suffered an injury after his victory in the Prix Foy which brought his racing career to a premature end.

Twelve go to post tomorrow; the race looks between English Derby winner Authorized, Soldier Of Fortune, Zambezi Sun and Dylan Thomas. Authorized brings the best from into the race but offers no value at around 11/8; in addition the stable has not been in particularly good form recently and the draw on the outside in berth twelve looks problematic.

Soldier Of Fortune beat Zambezi Sun under two and a half lengths in the Prix Niel but Zambezi Sun was not fully wound up that day. In the build-up this week there have been particularly bullish noises coming from the Pascal Bary stable concerning Zambezi Sun. The likely soft ground will inconvenience Dylan Thomas; if it were to dry out, his current price of 6/1 looks value. I side with Zambezi Sun, available generally at 5/1 with UK bookmakers.

Of the bigger priced horses, Mandesha's two seconds to Peeping Fawn and Manduro read well. This filly has looked far from straightforward this season, in contrast to last year. Cheekpieces are tried for the first time here; if they have the desired effect, she can be competitive and she looks worth an each way wager at the 14/1 offered by several UK firms.