On the day when Frankie Dettori revelled in the memories of the time he went through the card at Ascot in 1996, the Italian was quietly booked to ride Fascinating Rock in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly on Sunday. It could be a hugely significant booking, since Dettori is seeking a record fifth success in the French race although the horse is not yet a certain runner, his participation depending on how he pleases his trainer, Dermot Weld, in a last piece of work on Tuesday morning.
“If Fascinating Rock runs in the Arc, then Frankie Dettori will ride him,” Weld told the Racing Post. “We’ll decide after he works.”
Dettori has never ridden Fascinating Rock but appears to be a fan. “He’s raced Found [the Arc third-favourite] twice, beaten her twice,” the jockey said. “I’m going to war with a big weapon.”
Fascinating Rock has been ridden in all 15 of his races by Pat Smullen but he is expected to be aboard the Derby winner, Harzand, on Sunday. Harzand is trained by Weld too and will also need to impress the trainer on Tuesday morning, having sustained a cut to a hind leg in his most recent outing just over a fortnight ago.
Available at 33-1 for the Arc last Sunday, Fascinating Rock is now no bigger than 25-1 and is half those odds with a couple of firms. However, Dettori will be under pressure to conserve the horse’s stamina because although he has won at the Arc distance of a mile and a half, Weld is clear the horse’s best trip is a quarter-mile short of that.
Dettori first tasted Arc success 21 years ago aboard Lammtarra, following up on the Godolphin pair Sakhee and Marienbard in 2001 and 2002 and most recently Golden Horn last year. Six other jockeys, including the late Pat Eddery, have also won four Arcs. Dettori, however, might already have had that record to himself had he not broken ankle just days before he was due to partner the eventual winner, Treve, in 2013.
Bookmakers removed Midterm from their Arc lists, meanwhile, after connections reported that he would miss the race, having been beaten by the Japanese raider Makahiki in his recent trial. The colt’s owner, Khalid Abdullah, will rely on New Bay, third in the Arc last year.
The going at Chantilly is expected to be good and perhaps even on the faster side of that, which has encouraged Henry Candy to aim his July Cup winner, Limato, to the Prix de la Forêt, for which he is 6-4 favourite.
“He’s in good form and we’re planning to run on Sunday,” the Lambourn trainer said. “They’re so confident of a dry week I believe they’re putting some water on, which isn’t great news for me, but there you go. If we didn’t go to France, we could look at the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket. I know it’s only a Group Two, but it might be of interest.”
Limato was last seen chasing home Mecca’s Angel in York’s Nunthorpe.
Candy confirmed his other top‑class sprinter, Twilight Son, is being aimed at the British Champions Sprint at Ascot a fortnight on Saturday, where he will meet John Gosden’s Shalaa.
The latter was a juvenile sensation last year but has since been sidelined by a pelvic injury. Harry Herbert, spokesman for his owners, Al Shaqab, said the three-year-old would warm up on Saturday in the Bengough Stakes.
“He’s due to run on Saturday and it will be very exciting to see him back on the racecourse,” he said.
“It would have been a very big ask to run him on Champions Day without having had a run beforehand. I think it’s a good sign John is keen to run him. I know he’s very happy with the horse. I’m sure whatever he does he’ll improve, but hopefully he’ll run very well and it will leave him spot-on for a fortnight later. He’s in very good form and looks fantastic. There are no easy races, but he’s a special horse.”
