Masked Marvel set to join field for Arc

Ladbrokes St Leger winner Masked Marvel could be supplemented for Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe today, with stablemate Nathaniel set to miss the race.

An impressive winner of the world’s oldest Classic on good to firm ground at Doncaster, the John Gosden-trained Masked Marvel has been inserted into the Arc market at 14-1 by Betfred and Paddy Power. Gosden’s racing secretary Peter Shoemark said last night: “No official decision will be made until tomorrow because that is when the supplementary stage is.”

Gosden’s original Arc hope Nathaniel, winner of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, had been a marked drifter on the exchanges all week due to the dry weather forecast in Paris.

He would also have needed to be supplemented (at a cost of €100,000), but a spokeswoman for James Wigan, racing manager to owner Lady Rothschild, said: “The horse isn’t running (in the Arc).”

Nathaniel is now expected to contest the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on 15 October.

Commenting on the Arc betting, Betfred spokesman George Primarolo said: “Masked Marvel would be an extremely interesting runner in the Arc if he’s supplemented, and punters will be acutely aware that John Gosden got it spot-on when shelling out to add Nathaniel to the King George field back in July.”

Five horses were taken out at the latest acceptance stage for the Arc. Aidan O’Brien removed Regent Street and Wonder Of Wonders, but the Ballydoyle trainer still has four possibles, headed by So You Think, with St Nicholas Abbey, Seville and Treasure Beach his other entries.

As expected, Casamento was scratched by Godolphin while last year’s Leger winner Arctic Cosmos and David Wachman’s Giant Step were others to come out.

The remaining big names, last year’s winner Workforce and ante-post favourite Sarafina, stood their ground.