Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee – the man who has come as close as any from his nation to winning a coveted first Arc for Japan – believes Satono Diamond is the ideal candidate to succeed where his former charge Orfevre so narrowly failed in Europe’s premier race.
Although stressing Sunday was not the ultimate goal, Ikee was delighted with Satono Diamond’s final piece of serious work on Les Aigles ahead of the Prix Foy, part of a Chantilly card expected to be brimming with box-office clashes across its six Group contests.
With big-race pilot Christophe Lemaire aboard, Satono Diamond breezed six furlongs around the famous left-handed sweep, moving past training companion Satono Noblesse with a bit more ease than a week ago.
“Sunday is not the main target but I’m very happy with his condition,” said Ikee, who also worked as assistant to his father Yasuo when Deep Impact came to Paris for the 2006 Arc.
“It rained here last night and the turf was quite a bit softer than it was a week ago for his gallop. There’s a chance of more rain according to the forecast and so I’m pleased he’s had a chance to experience soft ground in training.”
Ikee became known as something of a horse psychologist through his handling of the wayward yet brilliant Orfevre, who appeared to throw certain Arc victory away in 2012 when colliding with the rail and allowing Solemia back into the race.
After giving second best to the exceptional Treve in 2013, Ikee always promised to have another crack at the Arc once he had identified the right horse and, in Satono Diamond, the 48-year-old believes he has the ideal candidate.
“This year Satono Diamond has really progressed physically. Last year he was a little weak but he’s muscled up a lot.”
In comparing the two horses he added: “Orfevre had a very difficult temperament and was not at all easy for the jockey to control in a race. All you could do was wait with him and then come with a run in the home straight.
“But Satono Diamond is a very intelligent horse and can adapt to any situation in a race. If there’s no pace then you can take him forward and make the running. If they go quick up front you can ride more of a waiting race and accelerate at the finish.
“He can handle any change of pace during a race and he’s much better suited to the Arc [than Orfevre] in that he can adapt to all kinds of races. That was the main reason I chose to bring him for the race.”
Burrows set to unleash Massaat on Moulin
The shape of the Prix Foy won’t begin to become apparent until Thursday morning’s penultimate declaration stage but Wednesday’s forfeits for the Group 1 races on the card have already given a taste of what Sunday holds in store.
Massaat was among 10 names left in Sunday’s Qatar Prix du Moulin over a mile, where he is scheduled to meet Ribchester, a winner already this season of the Lockinge and the Queen Anne.
Massaat returned from more than a year on the sidelines to land the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last month and trainer Owen Burrows expects there to be sufficient ease in the ground to allow Hamdan Al Maktoum’s son of Teofilo to take his place in the line-up.
Burrows said: “I had a chat with [racing manager] Angus Gold this morning and it looks as if the ground is going to be suitable. I’ve been pleased with the horse since the Hungerford.”
Sheikh Hamdan could be doubly represented, with Jean-Claude Rouget having indicated earlier in the week that Taareef was an intended runner.
The going is currently soft at Chantilly with the possibility of rain to come on Friday.
A total of 16 have been left in the Qatar Prix Vermeille, which is an important target in its own right – providing the Arc winner in four of the last nine years.
fonte : RacingPost
