Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing from the Longchamp Qatar Prix Chaudenay on 4 October 2026.
Race 1 QATAR PRIX MARCEL BOUSSAC (Group 1)
No8 GREEN EMPRESS
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Ireland can strike an early blow on a stupendous Arc card with GREEN EMPRESS taking out this fillies’ Group 1. The daughter of Saxon Warrior wore down Dancing Destiny to open her account in the Group 2 Debutante and returned to the Curragh to chase home Sun Goddess at a respectable distance in the Moyglare (Group 1).
That form has been handed a significant boost, making her a firm choice over the unbeaten local hope ALLELA, who on a third start is taking a big class jump today.
Race 2 QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDARE (Group 1)
No1 FOLSOM BLUES (Nap)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
There could be a second handsome pay out for Joseph O’Brien, and this time in the shape of the hugely impressive National Stakes victor FOLSOM BLUES, who with his spread eagling success over Monogram took his career to a new level.
The Blue Point colt sticks to 1400 metres with his trainer again using the employ of a top French jockey, and the combination can end the unbeaten sequence of the Christopher Head-trained and dual Group winner AVEC TOI.
Race 3 PRIX DE L’ABBAYE DE LONGCHAMP LONGINES (Group 1)
No8 RUMSTAR (Each Way)
Trainer: Jonny Portman- Jockey: Rob Hornby
This is an open Abbaye in which UK horses dominate the front of the market. NAANA’S SHADOW rates the pick of the fillies courtesy of her Group 3 triumph over course and distance last month, while REDORANGE is better than he showed at Newbury last time and rates an attractive roughie to include in exactas and trifectas.
ARGENTINE TANGO is another distaffer that could outrun her price, but for the main pick it has to be RUMSTAR. The six-year-old has matured into a super consistent performer who aside from a Group 3 triumph at Sandown is unlucky not to have won another Pattern race this season.
Although beaten into third on his latest start in the Group 1 Flying Five he was held in for a few strides in that Curragh contest which cost him valuable yardage, just when he needed to be launched with his challenge. Such reverses are part of racing, but if he enjoys a clear passage today RUMSTAR has to be involved.
Race 5 QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE (Group 1)
No9 KALPANA
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Colin Keane
The best all aged race in the world will be run on better (quicker) ground than is usually the case on the first Sunday in October and that will not be to the detriment of either last year’s winner DARYZ or indeed the greatly improved KALPANA.
Indeed it doesn’t take a wild stretch of the imagination to see both in the thick of things at the finish. DARYZ has enjoyed a campaign totally engineered to get him to post cherry ripe for this one day.
In the famous Aga Khan colours he won back-to-back Group 1s for Francis Graffard here in the spring, ran creditably in the Prince Of Wales at Ascot in July and as a 1-4 favourite did what he had to in landing the Group 2 Prix Foy here three weeks ago.
I love his profile but am not convinced he will handle a rampant KALPANA, who numbers Ascot’s King George and the Yorkshire Oaks as her latest items of booty in what has proved a glittering season for Andrew Balding’s filly, in the colours of Juddmonte.
Such has been the magnificence of Balding’s season that it would be fitting for Colin Keane’s mount to put the cherry on that cake today. Coolmore arrive three handed with less pressure than is normally the case, and Ryan Moore’s mount BENVENUTO CELLINI could prove the pick.
As a winner of five of his last six, MALTESE CROSS also needs respecting for William Haggas while one that looks over priced is FRIENDLY SOUL, especially in lieu of her dominating triumph over course and distance in the Prix Vermeille on trials day.
Prediction: 1st KALPANA, 2nd Daryz, 3rd Friendly Soul, 4th Maltese Cross, 5th Benvenuto Cellini
Race 6 PRIX DE L’OPERA LONGINES (Group 1)
No2 AVENTURE
Trainer: Christophe Ferland – Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
Home advantage can play its part in a distaffers’ race that has cut up and can herald a deserving success for the five-year-old AVENTURE.
Runner-up to Bluestocking in the 2024 Arc, she is a five times Pattern race winner subsequently including two Group 1s. She looked right back to her best when ending the unbeaten record of Diamond Necklace in the Louis Romanet and the last named filly will try to advertise that form in the Arc.
While this ground is faster than ideal for the selection she can parry the challenge of PRECISE, who though running well to a point in all seven of her races in 2026 has endured a long season, and this will be a test of her toughness.
Race 7 QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET (Group 1)
No2 SAMANGAN
Trainer: Francis Graffard – Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
SAMANGAN realised his finest hour when landing the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville in August and has targeted this race ever since.
He got home in a blanket finish but it marked an improvement on previous efforts this year, while it needs remembering that he showed himself to be an autumn horse with his two Chantilly successes in 2025.
TRUE LOVE brings Classic winning form to the table courtesy of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and is entitled to get into the argument. She may prove superior to her compatriot THESECRETADVERSARY, who nevertheless needs respecting.
