Estrange’s Arc ‘dream’ remains on track after Haydock win

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is the “dream” long-term target for Estrange following her runaway victory at Haydock on Saturday.

Successful on two of her three starts last season, the daughter of Night Of Thunder stepped up to Group Three level on her return to action in the Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes and put her rivals to the sword with a dominant display.

A trip to Ireland for a tilt at Group One glory in the Pretty Polly Stakes was mooted in the immediate aftermath, but David O’Meara’s charge is set to stay on home soil for the time being ahead of a possible appearance in Paris on the first Sunday in October.

“We’ve always thought she was very good, she gave that indication on her debut at Goodwood last year, and she was very impressive on Saturday,” said Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud.

“If she’d have won by a head we would have been thrilled, so to win like she did I think proves she’s pretty talented hopefully.

“We’ve waited for a little bit of ease in the ground and you’d like to think you’d get that at ParisLongchamp in October, so we’ll work back from that and see what happens – that is the dream and we’ll try to keep the dream alive.”

On more immediate plans, Richardson added: “I think we’ll probably go back to Haydock for the Group Two (Lancashire Oaks). The Pretty Polly in Ireland is over a mile and a quarter and we’ll probably leave her at a mile and a half I would think.

“Her only disappointing run was in the Listed race at Yarmouth last year and that was my fault, we should never have run there. The ground was far too quick, we were trying to be clever and it wasn’t a clever move, but at least she put it right at Doncaster at the end of the year.”