Saonois a serious three-year-old Arc contender if supplemented late

Danedream won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last year after being supplemented in the final days leading up to the race and Saonois looks the most likely to follow suit this year.

Despite Saonois not featuring among the 96 horses still entered in the Arc, he is still as short as 10/1 to triumph at Longchamp, but this may be justified.

Three-year-olds have had the Arc all their own way in the last decade with eight victories, but optimism is low from this age group this year.

Camelot may have failed in his quest to win the Triple Crown when second in the St Leger, but punters are lumping on him to make amends in the Arc.

The support has seen the Epsom Derby winner cut to 5/1, but lingering doubts remain as to how strong his opposition has been for much of the season.

Even though back to a favourable distance of 1m4f for the Arc, this price is plenty short enough.

Punters wanting to back a three-year-old are therefore pointed in the direction of Saonois, who landed the French Derby this season as well as a Group Two in emphatic fashion at Longchamp on his latest start.

The one thing the horse clearly has is a turn of foot and the Arc has been notorious in recent years for suiting hold-up horses who are produced with a late burst.

Saonois would seemingly relish this sort of race, although it is unknown if he would have the same finishing kick in a quickly-run race.

His best performances so far have arrived when the early pace has been pedestrian and he has been able to pick off the opposition with a late swoop.

Obviously, Saonois still has to be supplemented by connections and so backing him is a slight risk, but there are grounds to believe it is he, and not Camelot, who is the pick of the three-year-old bunch for the Arc.

All odds and markets correct as of publication