Ground scuppers The Fugue's Arc bid Overnight rain at Longchamp has led to the defection of The Fugue from the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. With 8mm reported to have reached the track, conditions were officially changed to 'Soft'. The Fugue's trainer John Gosden had long since warned that soft ground would see her pulled out of the race and her likely next target is now the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita next month. Owner Lady Lloyd-Webber's racing manager Simon Marsh said: "There was quite a lot of rain overnight, it's very annoying but the ground is now soft. "It's not going to get much better than that and we've taken her out. They had eight millimetres so that's bound to have an effect. "It is a very good race this year and you'd need everything in your favour. "We know that on a fast surface she is extremely good. "We'll look at the Champion Stakes now and see what the weather does but there's every chance it will be straight to America. "We'll look at both the Filly & Mare' and the Turf races and decide nearer the time." In the absence of The Fugue, a field of 18 are now set to go to post. Ante-post favourite Orfevre has been drawn in stall eight, but British raider Al Kazeem will have to race widest of all after being drawn in 18. Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli conducted the draw, picking the name of each horse before the relevant representative drew a random stall at a ceremony in Paris. While Orfevre fared relatively well with a midfield draw, the Criquette Head-Maarek-trained Treve was also given a wide berth in stall 15. The Andre Fabre-trained Intello has plenty of supporters and breaks from box nine. Runaway King George winner Novellist has a fair berth in stall 12, with Very Nice Name drawn lowest of all in one. Fabre's other runners Flintshire (seven), Penglai Pavilion (10) and Ocovango (13) all landed reasonable draws. Connections of the second Japanese raider, Kizuna, appeared delighted to be in stall 11, while Aidan O'Brien's St Leger hero Leading Light is in five. Stablemate and Investec Derby winner Ruler Of The World is next door to him in stall six, from where four of the last eights winners have been drawn. Ed Dunlop's Joshua Tree is in 14, while Meandre, who was supplemented along with Treve and Leading Light, is in two.
