Horse Racing/Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: Circumstances appear to be piling up against the long-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe favourite Dalakhani, who will have 13 opponents lined up against him in France's greatest race tomorrow.
But as if the presence of Aidan O'Brien's double-Derby and Breeders' Cup hero High Chaparral and the cream of the rest of Europe's middle distance talent weren't enough, yesterday's draw handed Dalakhani a possible coffin stall.
Drawn 14 of 14, the French Derby winner will have the entire strength of that opposition lined up on his inside. That, on top of overnight rain that has turned the going "very soft", will have shredded the nerves of his connections to breaking point.
It certainly has done nothing to encourage those of us who thought Dalakhani held an outstanding chance now that his jockey Christophe Soumillon is back on his familiar Longchamp track rather than on the Curragh, where bizarre riding tactics appeared to hand the Irish Derby to Alamshar.
The weather conditions particularly looked to have severely altered the face of the race. Dalakhani and High Chaparral both won Group One races on heavy going as juveniles. But it's the Irish star that looks more likely to relish another slog through a bog.
Whereas the draw was unkind to the main home hope, it couldn't have been better for High Chaparral, who will be in position A in stall one to make the most of the strong pace likely to be helped along by his stable companions Black Sam Bellamy and Fontanesi.
After a less than scintillating classic year from his three-year-olds, Aidan O'Brien has pinned his season to a large extent on High Chaparral and a first ever Arc success in his short but illustrious career.
On the face of it, High Chaparral's credentials are impeccable. A true mile-and-a-half star who thrives on the soft and comes here on the back of a courageous success in the Irish Champion Stakes. As Arc preparations go it all appears a damn sight better than last year, when he finished third to Marienbard.
But appearances at Leopardstown could have been deceptive in tomorrow's context. High Chaparral had to pull out everything to beat Falbrav on the back of returning from a shoulder problem and the impact of that effort might only come to the fore when the heat is turned on again. At general odds of 2 to 1 yesterday, the O'Brien star could yet burn a lot of punting fingers.
Many of us will hope that is not the case but if it is, it doesn't mean the Irish are without hope of securing just a sixth ever triumph in Europe's premier all-aged race.
Vinnie Roe will keep Dalakhani company in stall 13 but at a general 20 to 1 yesterday, and likely to be much longer on the Pari-Mutuel, the triple Irish Leger winner represents a viable each-way option to his more glamourous rivals.
Dermot Weld will have greeted the 4.1 penetrometer reading with glee because a premium on stamina will suit Vinnie Roe ideally. Marienbard proved stayers can come out on top against the very best in this race and Vinnie Roe arrives at Longchamp in the form of his life.
Weld said yesterday Vinnie Roe may well enter quarantine immediately after the Arc as the trainer keeps the option open of a return to Australia for the Melbourne Cup. If the rain continues to fall at Longchamp, the star Irish stayer could yet travel there from an even more restricted area, the Arc de Triomphe winner's enclosure.
There are significant Irish challenges for three other Group One pots on Sunday. Eddie Lynam runs the Moyglare runner-up Red Feather against her Curragh conqueror Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac, while Aidan O'Brien's other star filly Yesterday will relish the easier ground in the Prix de l'Opera.
The Ballydoyle trainer has half the eight-strong field in the Prix Jean Luc Lagadere, formerly the Grand Criterium. However, the French look to have the winning of this in the shape of Diamond Green.
