Fabre satisfied with trial efforts from his Arc contenders Andre Fabre is no stranger to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success, and this year the master trainer could be double-handed with two strong contenders. Fabre Confident in Sosie and Cualificar Ahead of Arc Few trainers know how to prepare a horse for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe better than Andre Fabre and the French legend looks to have two viable candidates this year in Sosie and Cualificar. Sosie won two Group Ones over shorter trips earlier this season before being beaten in the Eclipse but Fabre expects him to improve a good bit on his second to Byzantine Dream in the Prix Foy given it was his first run for two months. He finished fourth in the Arc last year. Cualificar showed the benefit of a more recent outing in Deauville when running down Bay City Roller to win the Prix Niel under William Buick. Fabre said: “What I can say is that Sosie needed the race, he hadn’t run since early July while Cualificar did what I was hoping. If the form is good enough to win the Arc, that is another question.” “For years now we have learned to respect those Japanese horses, especially over the middle distances. They will be tough to beat.” Alcantor Eyes Arc Meeting and Breeders’ Cup Fabre also saw Alcantor finish a valiant fourth in the Prix du Moulin having attempted to make all. He said: “Alcantor ran a very good race, he was just too fresh really, it is very hard to make the running in Group Ones. If he’d have been able to take a blow it might have been different.” “He will go for the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at the Arc meeting and then I hope to the Breeders’ Cup, but he has to qualify yet.”
