Francis-Henri Graffard is counting on Sunly to click in the G1 Prix de Royallieu (2800m) at ParisLongchamp on Saturday (3 October).

24 hours before Graffard’s Daryz defends his G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) crown, Sunly lines up in this fillies and mares only Group 1 contest aiming to draw a line under her horror run in the G1 Prix Vermeille (2400m) last month.

The four-year-old Night Of Thunder filly stumbled out of the gates that day, was badly bumped after the turn for home before charging down the straight to grab a gallant third.

With Christophe Soumillon booked to deputise for Juddmonte’s first-choice jockey Colin Keane, who is otherwise engaged at Newmarket, Sunly should be suited by this step up in trip and is poised to finally gain a first win at this level.

“I was very upset after the race,” Graffard said following the Prix Vermeille. “She’s definitely a G1 horse, it’s frustrating she hasn’t won one yet. She’s a great filly.”

Waardah, a Group 2 scorer over 2905m on her most recent start, rates as a big danger for rider Callum Rodriguez in a field that also includes last year’s Prix de Royallieu winner Consent, who suggested she was coming back to form after a low key season when third to Waardah at Doncaster. Luke Morris is in the saddle.

But Sunly, who runs in this rather than the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, looks the pick of the bunch even after an unusually dry run up to one of the most high profile weekend’s in Europe.

The prospect of faster than usual ground in the French capital has prompted Aidan O’Brien to change plans and run outstanding stayer Scandinavia in the G1 Prix du Cadran (4000m).

Ryan Moore’s mount seeks to add further gloss to a superb season with the four-year-old battling to G1 Ascot Gold Cup (3991m) success before confirming his champion status in the G1 Goodwood Cup (3200m) and G1 Irish St Leger (2800m).

Opposing the expected hot favourite is stablemate Queenstown (Wayne Lordan), second in the Irish St Leger and Caballo De Mar (Oisin Murphy), who supplied his trainer George Scott with his breakthrough Group 1 success in last year’s Prix du Cadran.

One that could run a decent race at long odds is Mr Hollywood, representing Willie Mullins, who has snapped up Soumillon for the ride.

The six-year-old gelding ran poorly in a prestigious handicap at York on his latest start in August and is better judged on his third over 4330m at Royal Ascot in June.

Ridari returns aiming to land the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein (1600m) for a second successive year with Quddwah, a short head runner-up then, out for revenge.

The G1 Prix de Royallieu (2800m) is carded as S3-2 and will be run at 10.25pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 3 October; the G1 Prix Du Cadran (4000m) is carded as S3-3 and will be run at 11.00pm; and the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein (1600m) is carded as S3-4 and will be run at 11.35pm.

Photo: Scoop Dyga