Orfevre will be aiming to avenge his last-gasp Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe defeat as he again clashes with winner Solemia in Sunday's Japan Cup in Tokyo
Orfevre will try to avenge his Arc de Triomphe defeat as he again clashes with Solemia in Sunday's Japan Cup in Tokyo.
Last Updated: 24/11/12 4:41pm
The Japanese raider appeared to have the Longchamp feature won, only to hang across the track in the closing stages and let Solemia snatch the prize by a neck.
Yasutoshi Ikee's charge will have home advantage this time and will be reunited with jockey Kenichi Ikezoe after Christophe Soumillon partnered the four-year-old in his two French outings.
Ikee said: "In the very end of the Arc, his bad habit came out. After he crossed the finish line, he accelerated so much that the rider couldn't even shake hands with (Oliver) Peslier (Solemia's jockey).
"To think that he still had so much left just makes it all the worse.
"During the trip from France he'd lost 20kg but he quickly regained that and from outer appearances looked back in shape.
"Last week Ikezoe rode him up the hill course and, like in his last race, he moved in to the rail when he got out in front.
"There was no other problem with his workout and I think his movement was pretty good.
"I'd say he was in almost too good a shape for the Arc so he wouldn't have got back to that point in such a short time, but he has slowly put on muscle.
"The main thing is that he can be able to run balanced and straight. If he can do that, we should be able to get results.
"I hope he can run a race fitting for a horse that represents Japan."
Solemia was something of a surprise winner of the Arc after previously finishing third in the Prix Vermeille.
Trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias told www.japanracing.jp: "I think that Orfevre is the strongest runner in this field.
"I had a very hard time beating him in the Arc and was fortunate to win.
"This time around, he has the advantage of running on home ground, while the filly has come a long way over and tired, which will make it even more difficult for her to win against him."