O’Brien waits on Arc plans

Oct 1 2007 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

BOTH Dylan Thomas and Soldier of Fortune could represent Aidan O’Brien in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe this Sunday, but no final decision has yet been made.

While the Ballydoyle trainer has won almost every major race many times over the Longchamp showpiece has evaded him. And depending on the state of the going in Paris next weekend he will have a strong twin-pronged attack at ending that statistic.

Dylan Thomas, who won the Irish Derby last year and also took the King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes this term before winning a second Irish Champion Stakes, needs ground good or firmer. Soldier Of Fortune is more versatile as regards the going, but won both this season’s Irish Derby and the Arc trial, the Prix Niel, on rain-softened ground.

O’Brien is still hoping to run both and he said: “Dylan Thomas and Soldier Of Fortune are being aimed at the Arc, but we won’t be finalising plans until later in the week. We’ll have to see how the horses are and we’ll also be keeping an eye on the ground situation.

“Yeats is also in the Arc but he could go for the Prix du Cadran instead. But Septimus won’t be going to Longchamp as we have decided that he has enough done for the season. He will be back in training next year.”

Another horse entered in Europe’s middle distance championship is Sir Michael Stoute’s Ask, who scored a superb win in the Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot yesterday, making light of an absence of 142 days to secure a two-length victory over Zaham.

Having beaten Scorpion at Chester in May, a foot problem had meant him missing most of the summer.

The four-year-old was bought as a potential jumper for owner Pat Fahey, although yesterday’s win may have put that new career on hold.

Heading to Longchamp next week is unlikely also, with Fahey said of Ask: “He basically stood on something and it turned septic – you couldn’t put a shoe on him.

“He’s also entered in the Coppa D’Oro in Milan in two weeks’ time.”

Meanwhile Ramonti, who won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes under Frankie Dettori at Ascot on Saturday, could still go to America for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford said: “It remains a doubt, though we are not ruling it out yet. No decisions have been made.”

Crisford added: “All being well he’ll remain in training next year. Before then he could run in Hong Kong, in the 10-furlong race (Cup) rather than the Mile. The longer race will be his preferred option.”

TODAY’S NAP: Southern Mistral (4pm Windsor).