Pour Moi out of the Arc, leaving Sarafina as favourite

Sarafina has taken over at the head of the Prix De L’arc De Triomphe betting following the news that ante-post favourite Pour Moi has been withdrawn and retired because of an injury sustained on the gallops.

Pour Moi was 5/2 to win the Longchamp Group One following his victory in the Epsom Derby in June, but a severe overreach to his near-fore fetlock means that his racing career is now over.

Sarafina now heads the market at 7/2 as she looks to improve on her third-place in an aggressive Arc last year, where she enjoyed little luck in running.

Alain de Royer-Dupre’s filly has raced minimally this season, but did triumph a shade comfortably in a Group One at Saint-cloud on her latest start.

However, the double of winning the Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud and the Arc in the same season has not been completed since 1996.

There are hopes that Sarafina will have one more run ahead of the Arc and her chances of victory were recently handed a boost when Cirrus Des Aigles, who finished second at Saint-cloud, was a more than cosy winner of a Group Two contest at Deauville.

Meanwhile, Por Moi’s retirement means that trainer Andre Fabre’s best hope of victory now lies with Meandre, who won the Grand Prix De Paris at Longchamp in July when beating French Derby victor Reliable Man.

Meandre is 8/1 to triumph for the fourth race in succession in the Arc and his chances are boosted by the fact that eight of the 11 winners this millennium have been three year olds.

Last year’s Arc winner Workforce is also expected to return to defend his title and is 5/1 to win at Longchamp, which would make him the first horse since Alleged in the 1970s to secure back-to-back victories.