A recent visit to Chantilly has given the Race Sharp Team inspiration to start building ante-post interests in the major French flat races this season.

In beating Solider Rising the Prix de l’Arvre at ParisLongchamp last May, Nicolas Clément’s Fénelon confirmed himself as the leading three-year-old colt over 12 furlongs in the run-up to the Grand Prix de Paris.

The son of Fastnet Rock had back issues to contend with after that and was given the rest of the season off. Dreams of the Prix de l’Arc were put on hold, though the update from this week’s Race Sharp Stable Tour gives Fénelon fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic for his four-year-old campaign.

This is a season where there are very few confirmed older horses still in training, barring Adayar and Hurricane Lane. You imagine those two will be kept apart by Charlie Appleby and if the Classic generation doesn’t quite live up to its billing this summer, I think there is a strong chance that by that time, Fénelon could be one of France’s leading Prix de l’Arc hopes.

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We know from the trainer that his year will be geared around the Arc and he handles cut. He will need to improve from a rating of 47.0 to be involved in the Arc, but this is a race that Clément (pictured above) has won before and jockey Stéphane Pasquier told the press last year that the colt is very impressive to ride and still immature.

Described as ‘very, very good’ by his rider, surely he will progress from his rating and he has the potential to take high rank in the antepost lists with a strong start to the season expected in races like the Grand Prix de Chantilly and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Antepost Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Sunday 1 October 2022) – 1pt win Fénelon @ 50-1 (bet365, William Hill and Boylesports, or 40-1 with Sky Bet)