Sky Sports Alex Hammond horse racing preview and betting tips

Sky Sports News presenter Alex Hammond looks forward to a weekend of real glamour both on and off the track in Paris.

Recommended bets:

Free Eagle in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (each-way)

Sole Power in the Prix de le Abbaye

Esoterique in the Sun Chariot Stakes

This weekend we can look forward to some real glamour both on and off the track as the most stylish race meeting in the world takes place in Paris.

Longchamp is the home of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and history could be made if Treve can get her pretty little head in front around 3pm on Sunday.

Trainer Criquette Head-Maarek has done the most fabulous job with the mare who is bidding to become the first ever triple winner of the mile and a half European showpiece. What is even more spectacular about the possible achievement is that last year we had all but written the wonder mare off after back problems, which resulted in three below par runs before the Arc which saw her sent off a relatively overlooked 11/1 shot for the Group 1.

Not so this time round. She comes here having won all three starts this season with her latest win in the Prix Vermeille visually very impressive. As a result she's now 10/11 with Sky Bet to make it three wins in a row and it would be momentous to see her achieve it.

Golden Horn's owner Anthony Oppenheimer has been very sporting with his colt this season, supplementing him for the Derby at a cost of £75,000 which paid off in spades and now dipping into the colt's considerable winnings to add him to this race at the cost of E120,000. Still, as he's won over £1.8m in win and place prize money it wasn't that much of a gamble. What would be a gamble would be to keep this son of Cape Cross in training next season where his astute trainer John Gosden would no doubt plot a campaign that would only increase his value as a stallion. What is there to lose? You can't take his victories away from him and he looks the type to progress from three to four. 

However, his owner pays the bills and he bred the horse so he is entitled to do what he likes with him and it's fair to say he's worth a considerable amount of cash and possible injuries are always foremost in the mind of connections of such a valuable commodity. Wouldn't it be marvellous though to see him do what other truly great horses have done in the past and prove themselves as older horses; the likes of Frankel and Treve, and the mare could even stay in training next season. As for his recent activities on the track, I have no idea what was going through his mind when he broadsided Free Eagle in the Irish Champion Stakes. Despite that, he stayed on well enough from the filly, Found, to win under Frankie Dettori.

The dry weather in Paris is playing right into Gosden's hands as its well documented that he doesn't want soft ground. I can't see it being rattling underfoot, but there shouldn't be any excuses on that score unless there's a freak storm. He is 4/1 joint second favourite along with Andre Fabre's New Bay. Fabre has an excellent record in the Arc and this three year-old has a good chance of adding to the Fabre roll of honour.

New Bay has only tasted defeat in the French Guineas this season (in which he was second) and his season has gone from strength to strength. He was then compensated in the French Derby and has won twice since then in group 2 company. He was stepped up to this 1m 4f trip in the Prix Niel last time out and looked even more impressive and he's a real threat to Treve's crown.

Two Irish raiders are next in the betting with Found and Free Eagle both 14/1 shots.

Found was runner up then in that Irish Champion Stakes and will be stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time. The 10 furlongs certainly suited, but in reality I don't think she would have beaten Free Eagle if he hadn't been hampered. Dermot Weld's Free Eagle is also trying an extra couple of furlongs for the first time. Drying ground has prompted his trainer to suggest that this race is on his agenda and I for one would be delighted to see him in the line up. Despite almost getting knocked over at Leopardstown he gathered himself and stayed on to be third. Who knows if he'd have won as it happened at a moment when he could ill afford to have his momentum snatched from him.

One thing is for sure, providing he gets a reasonable draw, he could offer the each-way value here. I'd love to see Treve win again, but at the prices, I'll be on Free Eagle to finish in the first three. It's also worth remembering that a very wide (high) draw, is a huge disadvantage at Longchamp. Check out the draw, which will be made on Friday, before making your bet.

Sole Power is an absolute joy. His win at the Curragh went against everything we've always thought about him. He suffered no luck in running last year and there's no reason in his current good heart that he can't break his Longchamp duck this time around.

Staying at Longchamp and British and Irish runners often do well in the Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye.

Eight year-old Sole Power is an absolute joy. His win at the Curragh last time out went against everything we've always thought about him. Before his win in that Flying Five Stakes he had never won on anything softer than good in 51 starts. He has usually suffered from wheel spin on an easy surface, but Eddie Lynam's horse put his best foot forward to win his first race since March.

It's lovely to see these older sprinters enjoying their racing and with conditions drying at Longchamp, there's no reason he can't put his previous efforts in this race behind him. He was an unlucky 3rd in 2011, 5th in 2012, 6th in 2013 and beaten favourite when 8th last year. The ground was favourable last year, but he suffered no luck in running again and there's no reason in his current good heart that he can't break his Longchamp duck this time round.

David O'Meara sends last year's winner Move In Time back for more and he had the perfect prep over this course and distance last month. He really seems to operate at this track and should run another big race. He was third to Muthmir in the King George at Goodwood and the latter takes him on again. My main concern about William Haggas' Muthmir is his temperament as he can be keen and not always hit the gates running as his enthusiasm can get to him at the start. He was a bit below par in the Nunthorpe and needs to bounce back here.

Richard Hannon's two-year-old Gutaifan is a consistent performer and will get a huge weight allowance if he lines up here. He had the option of the valuable two-year-old race at Redcar, but was taken out of that. After his win in Doncaster's Flying Childers Hannon said he thought 6 furlongs could be his optimum trip, so that would be my worry here.

There are many familiar names in the race and I think it will go to one of everyone's old favourites, Sole Power.

I hope you managed to catch the magnificent feature with Ryan Moore on Sky Sports News HQ. He may have been off with a neck injury, but I'm not sure I have seen anyone work as hard in a gym as the former champion jockey demonstrated during filming.

At Newmarket the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes is the biggie.

Nine horses have been declared for the one mile Group 1, which is restricted to fillies and mares. Whilst the Brits are heading to France, a French trained horse heads the market for this in Esoterique.

French trained runners have a good recent record in this race and the master, Andre Fabre, trains her and she comes here in great form having beaten the boys in the Prix Jacques le Marois last time out at Deauville. There's no doubt that is the form of the race and although that was on easy ground, Fabre feels good ground suits her ideally nowadays. However, it was good to firm at the time of asking and it wouldn't want to be too quick I suspect.

I hope you managed to catch the magnificent feature with publicity shy Ryan Moore on Sky Sports News HQ last week. He may have been off with a neck injury, but I'm not sure I have seen anyone work as hard in a gym as the former champion jockey demonstrated during filming.

He has proven he doesn't lack any fitness and his eye is as keen as ever with four winners since his return already. He teams up with Sir Michael Stoute on Integral who needs to recapture the form that saw her win this race last year (Esoterique was fourth). She has been off since a disappointing run at Royal Ascot, but has a great chance on her best form. Bawina is another of the French raiders. She probably wants the ground a little easier than she will encounter on Saturday.

One of the most interesting three-year-olds is the Roger Varian trained Realtra, who like Esoterique, was supplemented for the race at a cost of £20,000. She has won both her outings since joining her new trainer after being bought for 290,000 Guineas before Royal Ascot. That aside, Esoterique looks the one to beat after her recent impressive win at Deauville and I'm hoping with the heavy dew we get at this time of year, that the ground won't be too quick on the Rowley Mile.

Other horses to keep an eye on this weekend include the evergreen Cirrus des Aigles who bids to win the Prix Dollar at Longchamp for a fourth time. The roof will come off the (soon to be renovated) grandstand if this nine year-old can do it.

My (very small share of a) racehorse, Farlow, runs in the Challenge Cup at Ascot on Saturday. I hope he runs well, but it's a tough ask with the ground maybe not as soft as he enjoys. I'll be cheering him on though and his trainer Richard Fahey is fast becoming the trainer to follow in big Saturday handicaps. He's a 16/1 shot with Sky Bet and that is probably a fair reflection of his chance.