Injured Percy forced to miss Arc date
Trainer Marcus Tregoning had stated a decision on the three-year-old’s participation would be left until Thursday morning as he continued to mull the possible field for the race.
However, the colt has suffered a slight setback, forcing connections to look towards the Emirates Airlines Champion Stakes at Newmarket instead.
Tregoning told PA Sport: “We will not be running in the Arc. We have decided against it as he has niggled a muscle in his off-fore shoulder.
“I don’t think it’s anything too serious – it just won’t come right quick enough.
“In view of that, we have decided to miss the Arc as you need to be 150 per cent for a race like that.
“We will aim for the Champion now and hopefully he will be in good shape by then,” he added.
“It’s just one of those annoying things. The horse has been in great form but he’s just basically sprained a muscle.
“We don’t want to rush him back so we will look towards Newmarket.”
One three-year-old who will be in the line-up, however, is Khalid Abdullah’s Rail Link, and connections are hoping he can continue the fantastic recent record of Prix Niel winners in the race.
Eight of the last 10 Arc winners have either won or been placed in the Group Two contest, three of which were trained by Andre Fabre who also handles Rail Link.
And after this year’s runner-up Youmzain gave the form a boost by winning the Group One Preis von Europa at Cologne on Sunday, Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Abdullah, is hoping the trend continues.
“Rail Link is going really well at present and worked nicely on Saturday morning, according to Andre. He was very pleased with him,” said Grimthorpe.
“He wouldn’t want the ground very soft.
“He is a late-maturing type who has done everything we have asked of him to date as he didn’t race as a juvenile.
“The fact that Youmzain won a Group One in Germany at the weekend pleased us - it’s good solid form.
“It has been solid all year, he beat Red Rocks as well who has since run well in the top races.
“If we can follow the trend of 75% of Prix Niel winners, it will be looking good. It’s going to be a fantastic race.”
Sir Percy’s withdrawal drew a mixed reaction from the bookmakers with William Hill cutting Deep Impact to 5-2 joint-favourite with Hurricane Run while the pair are the 11-4 market leaders with Coral.
“Although European racegoers have yet to see Deep Impact in the flesh, there’s every chance he will be sent off favourite as he bids to become the first Japanese winner of the Arc, so great is his reputation,” said Coral’s David Stevens.
Conversely, Ladbrokes cut Shirocco to 5-2 joint-favourite with Hurricane Run while they have Deep Impact on offer at 3-1.
Spokesman David Williams said: “Sir Percy’s withdrawal is another kick in the teeth for ante-post punters who were still helping themselves to the 14-1 on offer until the news broke.”
11-4 Deep Impact, Hurricane Run, 3-1 Shirocco, 8-1 Rail Link, 10-1 Pride, Sixties Icon, 14-1 Mandesha, 20-1 Ouija Board, 25-1 bar.
5-2 Deep Impact, Hurricane Run, 11-4 Shirocco, 8-1 Rail Link, 12-1 Sixties Icon, 14-1 Pride, 16-1 Mandesha, 20-1 bar.
5-2 Hurricane Run, Shirocco, 3-1 Deep Impact, 7-1 Rail Link, 10-1 Pride, 12-1 Mandesha, 20-1 Freedonia, 25-1 bar.
11-4 Hurricane Run, 3-1 Deep Impact, Shirocco, 7-1 Rail Link, 9-1 Pride, 10-1 Dylan Thomas, 12-1 Alexandrova, Mandesha, Sixties Icon, 16-1 Ouija Board, 25-1 bar.
