So You Think top rated for Arc by Timefom

Timeform have So You Think as their top-rated horse in the Arc at this stage, but he is only 1lb clear of last year's winner Workforce and several other horses have staked their Longchamp claims recently.

Timeform's David Johnson commented: "Although the trials bear little resemblance to the Arc itself, there are usually plenty of clues to emerge from them and this year looks no different.

"The Foy featured both placed horses from last year's Arc and it was Sarafina that emerged on top, doing well to win in fact, worse placed when the pace quickened and having to squeeze through a narrow gap. The bigger-field, stronger-pace scenario of the Arc should play to her strengths, and it would come as no surprise to see her improve on her pre-race rating in the Arc itself.

"The Niel again left the impression that the French 3-y-o colts are a much of a muchness, and Reliable Man reversed Grand Prix de Paris form with Meandre. Of the three trials, this has the best recent record, and there's no doubting that Reliable Man has the profile of an Arc winner, even if he doesn't yet have the form to match.

"Persistent rain meant the ground was softer for the Vermeille than the other two trials and Galikova was able to beat a sub-standard field with something in hand. She's open to further improvement, but it takes a top-class 3-y-o filly like Zarkava to win the Arc, something Galikova cannot yet be described as.

"Elsewhere, Sea Moon keeps the rating he had going into the Leger. He was an impressive winner of the Voltigeur and that remains the race to judge him on with the trouble he met in the Leger stopping him from going very close. If he doesn't make the breakthrough this year, he remains the sort to make into a top-class 4-y-o.

"Snow Fairy has been kept fresh for an autumn campaign and her second to So You Think in the Irish Champion Stakes is the clearest indication that she's come back even better as a 4-y-o. She was the only one to put down a challenge to the odds-on favourite, and the six lengths she had back to the rest suggest she shouldn't be underestimated should she take her chance in the Arc."