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Last year’s Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto will take his place in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, trainer Fabrice Chappet has confirmed.
The son of Frankel enjoyed a successful Classic campaign in 2022, winning the traditional Prix du Jockey Club trial, the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe, before finishing fifth in the Prix du Jockey Club behind Vadeni. He appeared to relish the step up to twelve furlongs when beating Simca Mlle (who will re-oppose on Sunday) by a neck in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris over the same course and distance as the 'Arc'.
The colt was a surprise second in the Group 1 Irish Champions Stakes before a disappointing tenth behind Alpinista in last year's 'Arc', where the very soft ground would not have been to his liking. Chappet has plotted the same route this year – although this time around, Onesto struggled to land a blow in the tactical Irish Champions Stakes and finished seventh behind Auguste Rodin.
"His run in Ireland should be ignored. The race went at a breakneck pace, and the horse was trying to get involved at the wrong moment," said Chappet.
"The weather is good, the ground should be good and more to his advantage than it was last year. The horse is superb condition and he should run very well. He will be ridden by Maxime Guyon.
Onesto is widely available at 25/1 for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday.