FRANCE: Aga Khan's Arc hopes come through trials well

Sarafina: Arc still an objective after Vermeille second

  PICTURE: APRH  Aga Khan's Arc hopes come through trials well By Desmond Stoneham 7:41PM 13 SEP 2010 ARC hope Sarafina, who had to overcome an outside draw to finish a length and a quarter behind Midday in the Prix Vermeille, was reported to be in good shape on Monday after her first start in three months and first attempt at 1m4f and against older fillies.

RELATED LINKS Arc betting  Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said of the Aga Khan's filly:

"All is impeccable and she didn't have a hard  race. I don't think the distance was a problem and the Arc de Triomphe still remains an objective.  She acted on the soft ground but we wouldn't want it too heavy."

Of the three trials on Sunday's card the 2008 champion trainer said. "I was most impressed with the colts (Behkabad and Planteur) in the Prix Niel. Theyran the fastest time of the three races over the full Arc distance."   

Arc favourite Behkabad, who beat Planteur by a head in the Prix Niel, was reported to have come out of the race well by trainer Jean-Claude Rouget on Monday.

The Pau-based trainer has yet to win an Arc de Triomphe and a good run by Behkabad could make Rouget champion trainer for the second year running.

Andre Fabre is just €400,000 ahead in the table and he will rely on the Prix Vermeille runner-up Plumania to boost his winnings in the €2.2m Arc.

The Aga Khan's first jockey Christophe Lemaire will have the difficult job of choosing between Behkabad, who is unbeaten in three races at Longchamp, and Sarafina.  Gerald Mosse is likely to be on board his discard.

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