Left Hand and New Bay the Arc de Triomphe punts

New Bay primed for big run

Andre Fabre is the most successful trainer in the history of the race and has a major contender for this year’s renewal in the shape of New Bay.

The locally-based handler has enjoy seven previous successful saddlings courtesy of Trempolino (1987), Subotica (1992), Carnegie (1994), Peintre Celebre (1997), Sagamix (1998), Hurricane Run (2005) and Rail Link (2006).

In New Bay, he has a top class colt who has won five of his 10 starts, including last year’s Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club over an extended 1m 2f at this venue.

The son of Dubawi went to on to land two Group 2 contest at Longchamp before finishing a cracking 2 1/4 length third to Golden Horn in this contest 12 months ago.

The four-year-old has had just three starts this season, winning a Group 3 at Deauville second time up before finishing a fine fourth of 12 to Almanzour in last month’s Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

New Bay has clearly been brought along solely with this race in mind and looks a huge each-way player in a contest that is arguably weaker than last year’s.

Postponed a worthy favourite but age a worry

The big British hope is Postponed, who heads the betting and is bidding to land a seventh straight success.

Trained by Roger Varian, the five-year-old put in a stunning performance when landing the Group 1 Coronation Cup over 1m 4f at Epsom by 4 1/2 lengths from Found and followed up with a ready 1 1/4 length success over Highland Reel in the Group 1 Juddmonte Stakes over 1m 2f at York when last seen in action.

The son of Dubawi travelled ominously well throughout in the latter and after taking up the running three from home only had to be driven out to get the job done.

It was a most taking display and Postponed will appreciate the step back up in trip.

There is little doubt that he is an exceptional horse and his high cruising speed and turn of foot are a potent combination.

However, five-year-olds don’t have a good record in the race having won only seven runnings since 1920.

The last to do so was Marienbard back in 2002, and that has to be a worrying stat for supporters of the red-hot favourite.

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Coral’s top tip: Postponed is clearly the one to beat, but with five-year-olds having a poor record in the race Left Hand and New Bay look well worth an each-way wager in wide-open renewal of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.