Meet the Irish Contenders In Action at Longchamp There is a massive weekend of action at Longchamp with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe the main dish alongside a plethora of top-level races in the Paris suburbs. We're taking a look at some of the Irish raiders heading to Longchamp for Arc weekend. Emit & Tennessee Stud (Qatar Prix Chaudenay, Saturday 12.23) Emit and Tennessee Stud give Joseph O'Brien a two-pronged assault on this Group 2 stayers' contest for three-year-olds. Dylan Browne McMonagle is on the latter, a Wootton Bassett colt that ran well in fourth over 1m4f here last month in the Prix Niel and could be interesting up in trip. Emit was second over C&D in a Group 3 in August behind 50/1 poke Espoir Avenue, who goes again here. Queenstown (Prix Du Cadran, Saturday 12.58) No superstars are lurking in the Cadran, the longest Group 1 race run in France, and so Aidan O'Brien takes aim with Queenstown, who has been third in York's Ebor and the Irish Cesarewitch in two of his last three runs, with a disappointing Irish St Leger effort in between. Winday & Isaac Newton (Haras de Bouquetot Criterium d'Autome Stakes, Saturday 2.50) Winday for Emmet Mullins and Isaac Newton for Aidan O'Brien provide the Irish interest in this valuable 2YO contest over a mile. The former has a big step up to make on form, while Isaac Newton's Goodwood maiden win in August has been working out well. Princess Child (Prix Daniel Wildenstein, Saturday 3.25) Another for Joseph O'Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle, this filly has won her last two, a big handicap at the Galway Races and a Group 3 at Tipperary, and looks worth a shot in this company. Bedtime Story & Island Hopping (Prix de Royallieu, Saturday 4.00) Two for Ballydoyle here, as Aidan O'Brien bids to follow up the win for Grateful last year — his first in the fillies and mares Group 1. Christophe Soumillon partners Frankel filly Bedtime Story, who has twice run well in French Group 1s of late. Island Hopping was third in the Irish Oaks but needs a clear personal best now. Swagman (Prix Dollar, Saturday 4.35) Winner of the Classic Trial at Sandown in April over 1m2f, Swagman's only outing since saw him well held in last month's Prix Niel here on soft ground and he has a bit to find on ratings with the best of these rivals. White Birch, Los Angeles, Hotazhell & Minnie Hauk (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Sunday 3.05) Four contenders in the Arc field for Ireland, bidding to bridge the gap back to Found's win in 2016. That was Aidan O'Brien's second Arc success and he has added triple Oaks winner Minnie Hauk to the mix here, supplementing the filly this week to join last year's third Los Angeles — who could be the 16th Arc winner to have been beaten the previous year. White Birch has been holding his own in Group 1 company this year and promises to relish the rain-softened ground, while Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell needs to recapture the potential he demonstrated as a 2YO.
