O’Brien hopes High but Dalakhani delights in gallop
The Ballydoyle trainer is set to run last year's third High Chaparral and Black Sam Bellamy with Yesterday a possible for the Prix l'Opera earlier on the card.
After watching High Chaparral and Black Sam Bellamy exercise yesterday morning O'Brien said: "They just did a canter and they are in good form.
"It looks as if it's going to be nice, safe ground."
Favourite Dalakhani had his final serious piece of work ahead of Sunday's showpiece on the Chantilly gallops yesterday morning. The Aga Khan's colt, ridden by big-race jockey Christophe Soumillon, was joined by three work companions over seven furlongs of the Les Reservoirs straight gallop.
After watching Dalakhani pull clear trainer Alain de Royer Dupre reported: "He did everything demanded of him it was similar to the one he had before the Jockey-Club. Nothing's amiss and I'm satisfied."
Dalakhani won the Prix Niel over the Arc's course and distance last time and his trainer felt that there was still some improvement to come.
De Royer Dupre added: "He went well. He's improved a lot since his last run and one could say that he seems to have got stronger since that race."
The going at Longchamp has dried out a point in the past 24 hours to 3.3 on the penetrometer, officially good to soft, and that trend should continue with Paris set for a dry week. De Royer Dupre said: "The ground on the Reservoirs gallop was fast enough this morning, and it looks like it'll be pretty quick for the race, although they are forecasting cloud cover for Sunday."
The Aiglemont trainer confirmed he would be running Dalakhani's pacemaker, Diyapour. He has also left in Shakanndi.
Vodafone Derby winner Kris Kin may have the services of a pacemaker with connections considering supplementing First Charter to the big-race field.
Third behind Dalakhani and Doyen in his warm-up in the Prix Niel, in which he was hemmed in for a time, owner Saeed Suhail is keen to ensure a decent pace is guaranteed when Kris Kin returns to Longchamp.
Kris Kin's jockey Kieren Fallon said: "It was disappointing what happened at Longchamp and obviously he's got a bit to find on that running.
"I think Frankie Dettori's horse (Doyen) will be very hard to beat."
And referring to First Charter the champion jockey added: "He's a tough horse and I think he could be in the money."
Alamshar, who inflicted Dalakhani's sole defeat in the Irish Derby also stood his ground in the Arc.
However, the John Oxx-trained Alamshar, owned like Dalakhani by the Aga Khan, has been left in for precautionary reasons.
Dermot Weld's Vinnie Roe, winner of a record three Irish St Legers, completes the Irish contingent.
The other British entries are Mubtaker and Bollin Eric.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe betting:
Cashmans : 2/1 Dalakhani, High Chaparral, 6/1 Doyen, 10/1 Ange Gabriel, 11/1 Kris Kin.
Ladbrokes: 13-8 Dalakhani, 2-1 High Chaparral, 9-2 Doyen, 8-1 Ange Gabriel, 14-1 Kris Kin, Mubtaker, 16-1 Vinnie Roe, 20-1 Dai Jin, 40-1 Black Sam Bellamy, Bollin Eric.
