Viva La France!

[my miss storm cat]

It's early, but we need a watch thread for the Arc.

I'd give just about anything for Youmzain to win this time.

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...712939/latest/

Youmzain among 141 runners entered for Arc
By Desmond Stoneham

Youmzain, runner-up for the past three years, is one of 45 British-trained entries for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe among the list of 141 names announced on Thursday.

Godolphin supply 20 of the British-based entries - 15 trained by Saeed bin Suroor including last year's third Cavalryman - and five by Mahmood al Zarooni.

Andre Fabre has charge of another four for the stable including Prix Ganay winner Cutlass Bay, Byword and Simon de Montfort, all Group race winners in recent weeks.

While 13 of the Godolphin team are four or older, all but five of the 20 trained by Aidan O'Brien are members of the Classic generation and include the likes of St Nicholas Abbey, Steinbeck and Jan Vermeer among the three-year-olds and Fame And Glory and Age Of Aquarius among the older horses.

Sir Michael Stoute supplies a strong entry, all or any of whom could be serious candidates come October 3. Ask, Crystal Capella, Glass Harmonium, Harbinger and Spanish Moon are all on his list. So too are the Investec Derby possibles Workforce, one of the favourites for the Dante, and Desert Myth.

Dar Re Mi, beaten less thanfour lengths into fifth behind Sea the Stars in last year's Arc and victorious in the Sheema Classic in her only race this year, is another significant entry. The John Gosden-trained mare beat Spanish Moon into third at Meydan with Cavalryman and Youmzain further behind.

Seven Japanese horses have been entered led by Victoire Pisa, successful in the Satsuki Sho (2,000 Guineas) over 1m2f at Tokyo on April 18. He has won the last four of his five races.

Eishin Flash, who finished one and a half lengths and a nose behind him when third in the Guineas, is also in the list. So is Red Desire, the filly who beat Gloria de Campeao in Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge in March but could finish no better than 11th behind him in the Dubai World Cup three weeks later.

Christophe Clement has entered his World Cup fourth, the Arlington Million winner Gio Ponti, while the Neil Drysdale-trained Marsh Side is another North American possible.

Last year's Deutsches Derby winner Wiener Walzer and Epsom Oaks winner Sariska are other noteworthy foreign entries.

Only 56 of the 141 are home-trained in a race for which there will be no more official developments until the first forfeit stage on September 28.