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Live updates from Arc Trials Day at Longchamp on Sunday.
Courageous Warm Heart wins Vermeille
Warm Heart produced a courageous display under James Doyle to win the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained filly was recording a Group 1 double following a success under James Doyle in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks at York's Ebor Festival.
James Doyle always had Warm Heart in a good position on the inside, sitting third behind early pacesetter Pensee du Jour. As the field straightened up in the home straight, Doyle squeezed through a gap and kicked for home. At the one-furlong marker, Warm Heart had found the front but required all her courage to fend off the fast-finishing Melo Melo. Sea Silk Road closed well to finish a narrow third.
Doyle said on Sky Sports Racing: "She usually stands perfectly in the gates and jumps super but as she jumped, she just slipped and lost her action for three strides. She actually did well to pop back up and find her feet, I thought we were goners, but when she did actually pop up, I couldn't really ask her to go (forward) up handy and it got awkward, and I had to sit and suffer.
"We didn't go fast by any means, Above The Curve must have jumped slowly too, so I was very concerned all the way down the false straight. We knew she was very dominant when Free Wind joined me in the Yorkshire Oaks, so she had to be very brave, and it was a bit tricky but once we got out she's a super filly and was very tough.
"She pricked her ears for the camera too so appeared to have plenty left.
"She's a light-actioned filly and moves her legs very quickly. We're currently going through a warm period at this moment in time but it's hard to imagine a quick ground Arc. Those conditions are important to her, and I think soft ground would be a hindrance to her."
Warm Heart has been shortened from 20/1 to 12/1 for the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on 1 October. Six fillies and mares have completed the Vermeille-Arc double in the same year, including Treve in 2013.
Arc next for Foy winner Place du Carrousel
Place Du Carrousel stamped her 'Arc' credentials in the Group 2 Prix Foy at Longchamp on Sunday.
The four-year-old filly had only been seen twice this season but caught the eye with a victory in the ten-furlong Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at Deauville in August. The form of her Group 1 Prix de l'Opera victory at Longchamp in October has worked out very well with the second Nashwa and third-placed Above The Curve winning and placing at the top level this season.
Mickael Barzalona kept Place du Carrousel settled in the midfield throughout and she came with a bid at the two-furlong marker. The Andre Fabre-trained filly stayed on well and fended off the late surge of Irisine to win, with Sammarco in third.
In an interview with Sky Sports Racing, Al Shaqab's French racing manager Rupert Pritchard-Gordon said, "It's gone to plan, that's all we were hoping for. They didn't go too crazy, a nice sensible gallop
and she got into a nice rhythm, was following the right horse and had the good one behind her, so it all fell into place and was ideal.
"All being well, she'll run in the Arc."
The Group 2 Prix Foy serves as a trial race for the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over the same course and distance on 1 October. Restricted to four-year-olds and above, the contest is an ideal preparation for an older horse competing in the 'Arc' - three winners have completed the double, including Waldgeist in 2019.
Paddy Power have shortened Place du Carrousel from 50/1 to 40/1 for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in three weeks' time.
Niel victory for German Derby winner Fantastic Moon
German Derby winner Fantastic Moon took advantage of a messy Group 2 Prix Niel to beat Feed The Flame at Longchamp on Sunday.
The son of Sea The Moon was returning to twelve furlongs following a defeat behind the UK-trained Nations Pride in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich.
The 100/1 King Of Records set the early pace and attempted to steal the race from the front, pulling out a ten length lead in the false straight. At the three-furlong marker, the peloton began to chase the wide-margin leader, but it was Fantastic Moon who emerged out of the pack. Favourite Feed The Flame attempted to close in the final furlong and was unable to make up ground on the Sarah-Strindberg-trained colt. Bravais finished third for trainer André Fabre.
The Prix Niel is the traditional three-year-old trial race for the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on 1 October. Twelve colts have completed the Niel-Arc double, most recently Rail Link in 2006.
Paddy Power have shortened Fantastic Moon from 33/1 to 16/1 for the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on 1 October.