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Bay Bridge is expected to join the British challenge for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe next Sunday, aiming to repeat last year's Champion Stakes success at Longchamp.
Sir Michael Stoute, the trainer, hopes to add another Arc win to his record after 13 years since Workforce's triumph. Bay Bridge would be Stoute's first runner in Europe's middle-distance championship since Ulysses finished third to Enable in 2017. The 5YO has an impressive string of 120+ plus rated performances at ten furlongs, and he showed his potential at a mile and a half by winning the September Stakes at Kempton with ease earlier this month.
Stoute's assistant James Savage said, "The plan is to go as long as the ground stays on the easy side. He would go over on Friday morning, he would stay probably in Chantilly, and have a canter at Chantilly before the race."
For the Arc, Coral has reduced Bay Bridge's odds to 16-1 from 20-1. Bay Bridge is still one of the joint-favourites, alongside the French-trained Horizon Dore, for the Qipco Champion Stakes.
This year's Champion Stakes will take place three weeks after Longchamp. Bay Bridge started his winning streak over the 1m4f distance of the Arc in the Gr.3 September Stakes at Kempton.
He is generally considered a 20-1 shot to give trainer Stoute his second win in the race. Bay Bridge's jockey for his last three starts, including the Champion Stakes, has been Richard Kingscote, while Ryan Moore rode him during his seasonal reappearance at Longchamp.
The last penetrometer reading for Longchamp was 4.1 or very soft, following 17mm of rain in the middle of last week. Officials expect conditions to have dried up when fresh readings are taken on Monday after a warm weekend in Paris.
"There was a small bit of rain on Friday morning but since then we've had a very nice couple of days since then," said clerk of the course Charles de Cordon. "The forecast is for 25C and a breeze from the south on Monday which should dry the track out a bit more. There is a small risk of rain on Thursday but not for very much."
Those who were disappointed by Sisfahan's absence from the Preis von Europa on Sunday will be pleased to hear that drying conditions are in store, as the 2021 Deutsches Derby winner prepares to head to Longchamp.
Alongside his Henk Grewe-trained stablemate Mr Hollywood, Sisfahan will represent Germany in the race, while Sammarco is also being considered following his impressive performance in the Prix Foy.
Racing manager Holger Faust told the Racing Post, "Sisfahan is going to run in the Arc and stable jockey Lukas Delozier will ride. We were looking for firm ground in Cologne today but there was some cut in it and it was nearer good to soft.
"In Paris the surface is better tha in Cologne as there is no training centre and if the forecast is right, we expect good ground and hope for firm. Sisfahan should handle the track as it is quite similar to Berlin where he ran a good race and only finished just behind Simca Mille."
Faust added, "Last time in Baden Baden the ground was loose and he couldn’t handle it at all. On top of that he needs to be switched off and to use his turn of foot so nothing went right there. We know we're outsiders but we're looking forward to next Sunday."