Aidan O'Brien has confirmed that Diamond Necklace, Minnie Hauk and Benvenuto Cellini are all set to run in Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, with Diamond Necklace retaining the Prix de l'Opera as an alternative option.
Diamond Necklace is poised to lead the Ballydoyle challenge in the showpiece event, with last year's runner-up Minnie Hauk and Benvenuto Cellini set to join her. O'Brien indicated that stable jockey Ryan Moore would likely partner the four-time Group One winner.
O'Brien confirms three runners
"We do intend to run all three. Obviously Diamond Necklace has an option of going for the fillies race on the same day (Prix de l'Opera) but at the moment we are looking at going with the three," O'Brien explained.
Diamond Necklace capped off her juvenile campaign with victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac on last year's Arc card and secured the French Guineas-Oaks double at Longchamp and Chantilly earlier this season.
Nassau Stakes triumph and Deauville setback
Following that double, she delivered an emphatic performance in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood before experiencing her sole career setback when finishing second to Aventure in the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet, her Arc preparation race over one mile and two furlongs at Deauville last time out.
O'Brien conceded he could have pushed the filly harder in preparation for that contest but indicated everything has progressed smoothly since, as she readies herself to tackle a mile and a half for the first time.
Ground conditions key for mile-and-a-half debut
"She obviously hasn't run a mile and a half before. We always had it in our mind that she would and I suppose we are going to wait and see what the ground is going to be," he remarked. "We would want it to be on the nice ground going a mile and a half first time. It is possible that Precise could run in the fillies race – the Prix de l'Opera. We need to get a little bit closer to the weekend before we say for definite."
Reflecting on the Deauville setback, O'Brien explained: "The ground was a bit softer than we thought it was going to be and Christophe (Ferland) had his filly Aventure in very good form. It is possible that I hadn't been hard enough on her."
He continued: "I was looking for a race that would fill in between this weekend and that weekend (Goodwood) and I didn't really want to go a mile and a half which is why she didn't go to the Prix Vermeille (at ParisLongchamp)."
"Things have gone very well since and we are very happy with her. She will have one more piece of work to do this week but we are very happy. Ryan has the choice of the three but I would probably think she would be (his pick) but I couldn't be sure."
