Seventeen left in the Arc, with O’Brien poised to add Minnie Hauk

Aidan O’Brien looks set to saddle Los Angeles and Minnie Hauk in this year’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with the latter expected to be supplemented later this week to join the current cast of 17 contenders for Sunday’s ParisLongchamp showpiece.

Minnie Hauk has enjoyed a faultless campaign so far, winning the Cheshire Oaks, the Oaks at Epsom, the Irish Oaks and the Yorkshire Oaks to tee herself up for a first trip to France this weekend.

Coral make her a 4-1 joint-favourite alongside last year’s Arc runner-up Aventure, with Croix Du Nord next in the list at 8-1 to provide Japan with an elusive first Arc victory in the race.

Speaking at the weekend, O’Brien said: “Everything has gone well with them since their last runs. Christophe (Soumillon) rode Minnie Hauk during the week and he was very happy.”

Los Angeles was beaten less than three lengths into third place in the Arc 12 months ago and while he has failed to trouble the judge in three starts since landing the Tattersalls Gold Cup in May, O’Brien is confident he is returning to his best.

“Los Angeles has made great improvement since his last run and if the ground gets soft it would bring him right into it, he’s a big powerhouse,” he told Racing TV.

“The Arc was his plan all year. It went a little bit wrong at Ascot and he had a hard race and we had to back away and because of that he was a little bit behind for his first run back at the Curragh.

“But we felt he came forward well from there to France the last day (finished fourth in Prix Foy) and he ran round the track and and we felt he was going to move on again up to this run, so hopefully this run will be better than his last run. His work has been very nice.”

Other potential challengers from Ireland include John Murphy’s White Birch and Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell, while the three remaining British-trained contenders following Monday’s forfeit stage are Marco Botti’s Giavellotto, the David O’Meara-trained Estrange and Kalpana from Andrew Balding’s yard.

Croix Du Nord is one of three Japanese hopefuls along with Byzantine Dream and Alohi Alii, with Aventure joined on the home team by the likes of Sosie, Daryz and Gezora.

On Monday morning France Galop reported a going stick reading of 7.2, which equates to good to soft ground and there is little to no rain forecast for the rest of the week.