Ectot and Avenir Certain provide Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe dream

Views from connections ahead of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.

Roger Varian is confident Ladbrokes St Leger hero Kingston Hill remains at the peak of his powers as he bids to overcome a nightmare draw in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.

Last year's Racing Post Trophy winner has danced every dance in Classic company this season, finishing eighth in the 2000 Guineas and second in the Investec Derby before enjoying his crowning moment on Town Moor last month.

That is not to say he has been overly busy, however, with his fourth-placed finish in the Coral-Eclipse his only other appearance.

Varian believes the fact his star turn has had relatively little competitive action this term means he is ready to run right up to his best in Paris this weekend - but the enthusiasm is tempered by the fact the three-year-old will have to break widest of all in stall 20.

Given 16 of the last 20 Arc winners have been drawn in stall seven or lower, the size of the task facing Kingston Hill is clear.

"The draw is obviously not a positive, but there's nothing we can do about it and someone had to be drawn 20," said Varian.

"The horse seems to be in great shape and we've been really delighted with him since he won the Leger.

"I don't know whether I'm right or not, but I have a feeling he might have actually come on for the run in Leger. It was his first run in over two months.

"I know we trained him for the Guineas, but he's only had the four races and I think he's quite a fresh horse considering the time of year. He seems to be in top order.

"They are calling it good ground at the moment and there is a chance they might get a bit of rain on Saturday night. It's obviously not going to be soft ground, but we wouldn't mind seeing a little bit of rain just to keep it good.

"It goes without saying we'd prefer not to be out in the car park."

The same apparently damning stalls statistic will also strike fear into the hearts of supporters of ante-post favourite Taghrooda.

However, the Investec Oaks winner showed she is well up to mixing it against the boys and her elders when slamming her opponents in the King George at Ascot in July and she will be loaded into gate 15 ahead of what looks likely to be her swansong.

Angus Gold, racing manager for Taghrooda's owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: "I believe she is drawn in the same place Treve was 12 months ago, so let's hope we can get the same result.

"At the end of the day we are where we are. We'll take what we're given and there is no point making a fuss about it.

"We might be better where we are than being stuck on the inside, but who knows? So much will depend on how the race is run.

"Hopefully she takes the journey well and arrives there in good form."

Taghrooda would likely be an even warmer favourite for Europe's premier middle-distance had she not suffered a shock reverse at the hands of Tapestry in the Yorkshire Oaks on her most recent appearance, a filly who reopposes this weekend having been supplemented at a cost of 120,000 euro.

Gold is confident Taghrooda is better than she showed on the Knavesmire.

"If she's in the same form as she was going to Ascot for the King George, obviously she'd have a massive chance," said Gold.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, you never know if they're still at the top of their game at this time of year, but the signs are good.

"She's put on a lot of weight since York. I'm not making excuses for York, we were beaten by a better filly on the day, but I felt she wasn't moving as well as she had been and Paul (Hanagan) said she didn't feel the same throughout.

"I think we can hopefully have her better than she was at York."

Gold believes the John Gosden-trained filly is among the best he has seen since be began working for Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell operation.

He told At The Races: "It's been a special season. It's not often you get one that good and that classy and who does it so willingly.

"I've been here (Shadwell) 28 years now and Salsabil is the only other filly of that class we've had. She might have had a bit more speed than Taghrooda, but I'm not sure she had much more class.

"For me, the Arc is the greatest race in the world. There are so many good horses and so many imponderables, but our filly has done absolutely nothing wrong through her life, she stays well, she's got a lot of class, she's got a turn of foot and she's got a fantastic attitude, which makes such a difference.

"She's got all the attributes if she's still in good form."

Connections of leading Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hopes Ectot and Avenir Certain admit it is "a dream" to have two strong contenders in Sunday's Longchamp showpiece.

The pair, trained by Elie Lellouche and Jean-Claude Rouget respectively, are poised just behind favourite Taghrooda in the market after turning in impressive prep runs.

Ectot, who missed most of the year after a setback, was a neck winner of the Prix Niel, traditionally one of the most notable Arc trials, when he returned to action in mid-September.

In contrast, Avenir Certain has had a stellar year, winning the French 1000 Guineas and the Prix de Diane before running out a cosy winner of the Prix de la Nonette at Deauville on her most recent outing in August.

The pair are both part-owned by Gerard Augustin-Normand and his retained rider Gregory Benoist faced a difficult decision in choosing between the two, finally opting for Ectot, leaving Christophe Lemaire to take over on Avenir Certain.

The latter was bred at La Cauviniere stud in Calvados, which is owned by Augustin-Normand's racing manager Sylvain Vidal and his wife Elisabeth, with the filly a daughter of resident stallion Le Havre, who won the French Derby for the owner back in 2009.

Vidal said: "It's very exciting. We are just so happy to have two very good horses for what is one of the best races in the world.

"We bought Ectot as a yearling but we bred Avenir Certain here on the farm. Her sire is Le Havre, who we have here, and a mare from the farm, so of course it would be special if she were to win.

"It's like a dream and now we just have to wait for Sunday.

"I think Gregory had a really hard choice. Ectot is a very special horse, he has had just two runs this year and is improving all the time.

"Avenir Certain has won the French Guineas and the Prix de Diane so she has already done plenty this year.

"Avenir Certain won the Nonette in August and she will be coming in fresh and obviously Ectot won the Niel last month. Neither had a hard race though, and they will both be coming here very fresh.

"It would be very hard to pick between the two of them. We love them both.

"We have no worries about the ground, it should be fine for them both."

The team also have outsider Montviron in the race.

Japanese runners have filled the minor honours on more than one occasion, with Orfevre claiming the runner-up spot for the last two years while El Condor Pasa was second in 1999, Deep Impact third in 2006 - although he was subsequently disqualified - and Nakayama Festa was beaten just a head by Workforce in 2010.

There are three raiders from the Far East this time with Harp Star, Just A Way and Gold Ship all lining up.

Harp Star won the Japanese 1000 Guineas in

April but was subsequently beaten a neck in the Japanese Oaks before bouncing back with a three-quarter-length win over Gold Ship in the Group Two Sapporo Kinen on her most recent start in August.

As a three-year-old filly, the Hiroyoshi Matsuda-trained runner will feel the full benefit of the weight-for-age allowance and connections are hoping she can return to her very best form.

Yasuhiro Matsumoto, representing breeders Northern Farm, told Racing UK: "She was not in such good form in her last race, so we didn't expect a lot but it was a good performance - much better than we expected.

"We hope she will improve more and show a good performance in the Arc.

"A shoe was coming off in the Japanese Oaks, it had an influence on her performance, and the jockey said she was hanging inside in the final strides. If that didn't happen, she would have shown a better performance."

Naosuke Sugai fields both Just A Way and Gold Ship, with the first-named the highest-rated horse in the world.

Just A Way blew his rivals away when winning the Dubai Duty Free by over six lengths in March but had to battle to see off Grand Prix Boss in the Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo racecourse in June.

Sugai said: "Everything went well in his last race, but he had a hard race and he needed time to recover. He was tired afterwards and took time to recover his condition, so I decided he didn't need a prep race.

"There weren't too many options for him.

"He's in good condition and on pedigree, his sire Heart's Cry had his best performances as a five-year-old. We can see improvement in him."

Sugai is hoping Gold Ship can improve on his effort behind Harp Star and expects the mile-and-a-half at Longchamp to suit.

He said: "Gold Ship had a prep run in August, and that was a good run, an ideal preparation. The distance and the shape of the track are pretty suitable and I hope he performs well. He prefers soft ground, with a good cushion. Very fast ground is not ideal but he should be OK."

German raider Ivanhowe staked his Arc claim when beating Sea The Moon by a comfortable three lengths in the Grosser Preis Von Baden at Baden Baden last month.

Sea The Moon was favourite for the Arc at that point before it emerged he had sustained a career-ending injury, and trainer Jean-Pierre Carvahlo believes this is an opportunity to be seized with his son of Soldier Hollow.

He said of William Buick's mount: "We are very excited. This is a big opportunity for the horse and the trainer. The sun has been shining in France but I do not think the fast ground will be a problem. Everything has gone to plan for the big day.

"I think we have a very good horse for the Arc."

Andre Fabre has won the race seven times before and he expects Flintshire, who finished second to Ruler Of The World in the Prix Foy on his most recent outing, to be on the premises.

He said: "He'll be there, he'll be close. There are horses who have shown more than him, but he is a fresh horse and that will help."

Al Kazeem was sent off a 16-1 shot for the race last year and he is available at over three times those odds this time after emerging as a last-minute contender.

The six-year-old was retired to stud at the end of last term but proved sub fertile, prompting owner Johh Deer to buy him back and return him to former trainer Roger Charlton.

He came good at the second time of asking when winning the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor and while he was down the field in the Irish Champion Stakes recently, Deer is keen to let him have another crack at the highest level over 12 furlongs.

He said: "After he ran in Ireland the jockey seemed to think a mile and a half would possibly suit him better than a mile and a quarter these days. He has won over a mile and a half before, at Newmarket, so we know the distance isn't a problem.

"We knew it would be difficult bringing him back from stallion duties, but he's won a Group Three and we've had a go at a Group One.

"We're keen to have another try with him at that level over a mile and a half.

"He is entered in a Group One race in Germany in November, so that could be a possibility if he runs well in the Arc."

Joseph O'Brien is under no illusions about the task facing Chicquita as the Classic-winning filly returns to France for a shot at glory.

Runner-up behind 2013 Arc heroine Treve in last year's French Oaks, the daughter of Montjeu claimed the Irish equivalent for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre before changing hands for six million euros at Goffs last November.

She did not make her debut for Aidan O'Brien until last month, but ran a perfectly respectable race to chase home leading three-year-old filly Tarfasha in the Blandford Stakes.

O'Brien junior is expecting his big-race mount to improve for that outing fitness-wise, but admits she has plenty on her plate this weekend as she aims to overcome an extremely wide draw in stall 18.

Speaking from Dundalk on Friday evening, Ireland's champion jockey said: "She had a very good run in the Blandford and it was a nice starting point after a long layoff.

"I think she was off for more than a year and the trip should improve her. The draw is far from ideal, though, and it's hard to win from that draw."

Chicquita is just one of three runners in Europe's premier middle-distance contest for team Ballydoyle.

Yorkshire Oaks winner Tapestry has been supplemented at a cost of 120,000 euro and will be ridden by Ryan Moore, while last year's Derby winner Ruler Of The World, the mount of Frankie Dettori, most recently claimed the Prix Foy over the Arc course and distance.

"You have to draw a line through Tapestry's Matron run given the trip and the change of tactics," said O'Brien jnr.

"She's back up in trip and has a good draw (stall eight). She has to be ridden patiently. Three-year-old fillies have a great record in the race and she is well entitled to take her chance.

"He (Ruler Of The World) won his trial nicely. He has worked nicely since then without obviously doing too much. He's got a good draw (stall six)."

Moore feels Tapestry has place claims in a wide-open renewal, but has identified Japanese mare Harp Star as the horse he would most like to be riding.

"The first thing to say about this year's Arc is it is one of the most open that I can remember," Moore told Betfair.

"I genuinely went through the field and came up with a shortlist of 10, maybe more, and even then it wouldn't be the greatest shock in the world if the winner wasn't among them.

"Having ridden there a fair bit, I know the Japanese horses pretty well and I think the most talented horse in the race is undoubtedly Just A Way.

"But if I could pick any of the field to ride, it would probably be Harp Star. If you fancy Taghrooda, then I think that you have to fancy Tapestry at the prices.

"Taghrooda may have had an excuse that she was in season at York but, whichever way you cut it, my filly ran a great race there. The third horse, Tasaday, was seven lengths away in third and she ran a good second to Hillstar at Newbury subsequently.

"The step back to a mile didn't work out in the Matron Stakes last time, but we know that a mile and a half on fast ground are her conditions and I am happy being drawn eight.

"I give her an each-way chance but this race will take some winning."