Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2018 review

It was a great days racing and results for Triple G at Longchamp on Sunday for the Arc meeting. Enable rightly stole all the headlines and talking about a possible attempt at the hat-trick John Gosden said “If she’s in great order, her owner/breeder Khalid Abdullah will make the decision, but it would be wonderful if he felt she would like to go for it, if she’s fit and well, she’d only be five years old – that’s like reaching a zenith in a way for a Flat horse – so it would be great. Put it this way, the filly will tell us – and he will make the decision.” Fingers crossed as it would be great to see her have a go.

Royal Marine was my biggest priced winner of the day and looks a horse to follow to me following his win in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere beating the odds-on Freddy Head-trained Anodor.

Bin Suroor said: “The two-year-olds this year have done really well and Royal Marine has been good since he won at Doncaster last time. I talked to Sheikh Mohammed and he made the decision to run him in this race. Now I have to go back to him again to ask about his future. We’ll get him back to Dubai. What I like about him is he stays well, but he also has plenty of speed. I thought Oisin Murphy gave him a very good ride as the horse took a strong hold.” He continued “He’s a big, strong horse and in the future he could be anything. He’s still a baby and he will be better in the future. We’ll talk to Sheikh Mohammed and make a decision about what we are going to do. Sheikh Mohammed sent me nice horses this year. I’m very positive for the future.”

Jockey Oisin Murphy added “He’s a very good horse, obviously low on experience but he has plenty of ability and I hope he can make his mark next year.”

Wild Illusion was my other winner showing just how good she is winning the Prix de l'Opera by a length from Magic Wand. Charlie Appleby reported on the Godolphin website “Wild Illusion is a very good filly and this was another admirable performance from her today. She lived up to her reputation as a game and tough filly with a gutsy G1 victory. She is a credit to herself and the team – she is a star. She is a filly we have always been fond off since the start of her two-year-old career. Wild Illusion is tough and genuine – a typical Dubawi. She has danced every dance this year. She finished fourth in the Guineas (G1), second in both the Oaks (G1) and the Ribblesdale (G1). She then came out and won the Nassau (G1) and she's backed that up today. We came into this race very confident. She looked fantastic and it was another deserved victory. William gave her a great ride. She obviously likes racing in France as she won her first G1 on this day last year at Chantilly (the Prix Marcel Boussac). This Prix de l’Opera was always our target after the Nassau and hopefully, all being well, she will now go for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1, 11f, Churchill Downs, USA, 3 November)."