Eclipse hero Vadeni poised for Arc challenge

Ground is key, but Paris now the plan over Champion Stakes.

Vadeni is set to run in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with connections of the Coral-Eclipse winner appearing to have a change of heart.

Sent off favourite for a strong renewal of the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on his last run, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt finished a luckless third to current Arc favourite Luxembourg.

His Chantilly-based handler initially ruled Vadeni out of a crack at the ParisLongchamp feature on Sunday week following that reverse.

But the Aga Khan-owned son of Churchill, who has won five of his eight races, including two at the top level, could now try the mile-and-a-half trip for the first time, rather than remaining over 10 furlongs for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot – providing the ground remains in his favour.

Georges Rimaud, manager of the Aga Khan’s studs in France, said: “All things being well, Vadeni will run in the Arc next weekend.

“We feel the forecast is better for France at the moment than it is generally for the meeting at Ascot, so we opted to go for the better ground, basically.

“Hopefully the ground will be suitable in Paris as that is an element of importance for this horse. He doesn’t need good ground as such, but he doesn’t need to have it very slow or deep or challenging.”

Asked whether last week’s confirmation that unbeaten Baaeed will end his career in the Champion Stakes rather than the Arc had an impact on the decision, Rimaud added: “When making these decisions you put all the elements on the table.

“Baaeed not running in the Arc has been discussed, but it is not the primary concern. We really feel this horse needs the right ground and feel he is more likely to have what he needs in Paris rather than in Ascot. It is dependent on the forecast and things may change.”

Rimaud also seemed confident the step up in trip would be not be a problem.

He said: “We will find out on the day about the distance, but we feel that with his pedigree and his dam being by Monsun, and his sire being by Galileo, there is no evidence that he cannot stay.

“We feel he has performed very well over the mile and a quarter, but we are happy to try (a mile and a half).

“The Arc is often open, I suppose. There’s a lot of horses running in it and how the race pans out is very important for each horse, so it becomes open the minute they start.

“Vadeni doesn’t have to travel, he’s at home and we’ll give it a shot.”

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