Taghrooda will have a long trip to make at Longchamp for Pre de l’Arc de Triomphe

Taghrooda’s chances of capping a stellar season for her owner, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, took a dent on Friday when she was drawn wide for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris.

A light show is projected on the banks of the river Seine as part of the festivities ahead of tomorrow’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Maroon-and-silver banners adorn the Champs Elysees as well. Jacques Brinon / AP PhotoShow less

Taghrooda’s chances of capping a stellar season for her owner, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, took a dent Friday when she was drawn wide for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris.

Taghrooda will have to break from Gate 14 in a field of 20 runners, although last season Treve triumphed from the same berth.

Before that, however, Dalakhani in 2003 was the last horse to win from a double-figure stall.

Taghrooda is habitually held up by jockey Paul Hanagan, and that style of running would suggest that a wide draw is not an issue.

There are few front-runners in the race, however, and Hanagan could well encounter traffic problems should he wish again to deliver his mount late.

Taghrooda has won the English Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot this season but succumbed in a driving finish to Tapestry in the Yorkshire Oaks in August.

Tapestry, who was supplemented earlier this week, has been placed in Gate 8, while Treve will defend her crown from the third stall.

Just A Way, the hugely impressive winner of the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan in March, is in 13, one inside Taghrooda.

Meanwhile, the French trainer Corine Barande-Barbe has expressed an intention to run Cirrus Des Aigles in Dubai in March in a bid to follow up his 2012 success in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

He was second to Gentildonna this year.

Cirrus Des Aigles was injured just before he won the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June and makes his comeback in the Prix Dollar at Longchamp today.

It will be the fifth occasion the evergreen eight-year-old has run in the Group 2 race over 2,000 metres.

Only Byword, in 2011, has beaten him in that time.

“I am very excited about getting Cirrus back on to a racecourse,” Barande-Barbe said.

“He will be ready.”

MEYDAN IN TALKS ON SUPPORTING ENDURANCE RACING IN BRITAIN

Meydan Group is in discussion with Endurance GB over a package of benefits to back the sport of endurance racing in Britain.

The potential partnership would include a training and coaching programme to raise standards and include open seminars, a schedule of training courses by international governing body FEI and support for young riders.

The sponsorship would provide support facilities at all FEI Rides on the EGB schedule, including electronic timing, veterinary treatment, venue and route logistics, ice, water and catering to prioritise care and monitoring of human and equine athletes.

Also, three competitions would be added by EGB to the FEI calendar.

“We are highly optimistic of the role that Meydan Group can play in aiding the development of this sport, both within our borders and abroad,” Meydan spokesman Gabriel Hanania said.

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