O’Brien expects Los Angeles to shine in Arc test

Aidan O’Brien believes the best is still to come from Los Angeles as the Irish Derby winner is set to spearhead a two-pronged attack on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for Ballydoyle.

He is likely to be joined by last year’s fifth Continuous, but Luxembourg, Opera Singer and Auguste Rodin are all set to sidestep the race.

Opera Singer could run in the 10-furlong Prix de l’Opera instead, while Auguste Rodin is likely to head straight to the Japan Cup.

Los Angeles caught many an eye when running on into fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes over an inadequate 10 furlongs behind Economics.

“We think the most likely two are Los Angeles and Continuous. We think the ground probably isn’t going to be lively enough for the other two, Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg, and the filly (Opera Singer) might go to the l’Opera instead,” said O’Brien.

“We don’t think we’ve seen the best of Los Angeles yet. He’s a very big horse, he’s improving physically and there’s no doubt a mile and a half is right up his alley.

“He won the Irish Derby which is right-handed like Longchamp and we’ve been very happy. He’s had two preps really, he won the race at York (Great Voltigeur) and then when he went back to a mile and a quarter at Leopardstown. Hopefully we’ve done as much as we can for him to run as good a race as he can.”

Continuous won last year’s St Leger before running in the Arc and was third of five in the Prix Foy last time out.

“We were very happy with his run in the trial, he finished third, it didn’t suit him to make the running but obviously it was going to be a slow pace. We think he’ll be much better in a strongly-run race and we’ve been very happy with him since,” he said.

“We think both horses will handle an ease in the ground.

“Christophe (Soumillon) rode him the last day so it’s very possible he could ride him again.”

As for those that are likely to miss Sunday’s race, he added: “Auguste Rodin is still in at the moment but unless the ground is very nice he won’t run. He’ll probably go straight to the Japan Cup.

“Opera Singer will do a bit of work in the morning and we’ll see how she is.

“The intention of running her in the trial (fifth in the Prix Vermeille) was to go back for the Arc, but we weren’t sure really what happened.

“We could go back for the Opera as that is the easier option. We also think she wouldn’t want bad ground, so we’re debating whether to run in the Arc or the Opera.”