I hear that John Oxx is reported to be quite happy with the allotment of stall six to Sea The Stars at the draw for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday. It’s because this stall has proved to be a lucky stall in the past years with Hurricane Run (2005) and Dylan Thomas (2007) winning the race from the same stall.

Stall 10 goes to O’Brien’s Fame and Glory, who had come in second to Sea The Stars during the Derby and Irish Champion Stakes. Sir Michael Stoute’s Conduit has however been allotted stall 12.

Mick Channon’s Youmzain, who came in second in 2007 will be running from stall one while Prince of Wale’s Stakes winner, Vision D’Etat will run from stall nine. The German challenger Getaway will be running from stall three. Stall two goes to John Gosden’s Dar Re Mi while the nineteenth stall of the 19 stalls goes to Andre Fabre’s Cavalryman.

Ironically, I’m hearing that Kieren Fallon, who had won the 2007 on Dylan Thomas, will be racing Mick Channon’s Youmzain this time around, while wearing blinkers for the first time.

As Youmzain had once worked with blinkers on the gallops, and worked great with them, it was decided to once again try out racing with blinkers. Fallon says that he will be running the race sensibly, and will of course in true Fallon style try to win the race again.

For me, I cannot see past Sea The Stars however. I expect the great horse to be short priced however and so probably will not be having a punt.