As he prepares for his final ride in the race, Frankie Dettori reflected on a kaleidoscope of memories from three decades of riding in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, labelling his 1995 triumph on Lammtarra as his greatest.

But the Italian would not let the ink dry on that revelation without recalling Golden Horn in 2015 as his best ride in the race widely regarded as the greatest in the world.

Dettori drew a blank on his three mounts on the eve-of-Arc-day card, but from the sanctuary of the weighing room looked back into the race’s archive and extracted the name of Lammtarra.

He recalled: “To win the Arc is every jockey’s dream, and so the best memory of my winners has to be the first and that was Lammtarra. He was inexperienced but very good, and we don’t know how good he might have been.

“But the ride that gave me a lot of personal satisfaction was on Golden Horn. I did something out of the box in that, I went out on my own and it worked to perfection. He was a very good horse, and especially on that day which is a special memory for sure.”

His mount in his Arc swansong is the John and Thady Gosden-trained mare Free Wind, carded to start as around a 20-1 outsider.

The rider is taking a realistic approach to her match up with older and younger males without totally eliminating the possibility of an earning display from the George Strawbridge-owned five-year-old.

He added: “I’ve won on her three times, but I’m realistic because she’s had her problems and is coming back. She’s a Group Two winner and she’s worked well and has a good draw. But it’s still a big ask.

“If she gets a place I will be delighted – if she won it would be totally amazing and I’m not sure how I would react.”

Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Astro King pounced late to land the bet365 Cambridgeshire under top-weight at Newmarket.

The six-yar-old gelding was a 20-1 chance under Richard Kingscote and travelled on the inside as the 34-strong field split into several groups down the Rowley Mile.

At one stage the race looked to be happening on the other side, but as Greek Order, the smooth-travelling 5-2 favourite, accelerated down the centre as a gap finally came for Harry and Roger Charlton’s hotpot, he took with him the Kubler challenger.

In the final strides the two locked horns and it was Astro King that just put his head down to seal a valuable triumph by half a length under the burden of 9st 12lb.

Vandeek demonstrated his class with a tremendously impressive victory in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Havana Grey colt came into the race unbeaten having landed a Nottingham maiden, the Richmond at Goodwood and the Prix Morny throughout the year.

He was the heavily-backed 5-4 favourite under James Doyle and left the stalls a touch slowly before being tucked in behind rivals in the early stages of the race.

When a gap appeared Doyle guided him through it and from there he accelerated readily to leave the whole field behind him and triumph by two and a quarter lengths from Task Force, with River Tiber a head further back in third.

Porta Fortuna came out on top for Donnacha O’Brien in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

A 9-2 chance under Oisin Murphy, the Caravaggio filly gravitated towards the centre of the track and travelled in the outer of the two groups throughout the six-furlong Group One.

The field spread across the course in the closing stages and from the middle Porta Fortuna – winner of the Albany at Royal Ascot – was able to accelerate past her rivals to emerge victorious by a length and a half.

Rogue Millennium will bid to give connections another day to remember when she lines up for the Prix de l’Opera Longines at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

The Dubawi filly made dreams come true when landing the Duke of Cambridge Stakes for trainer Tom Clover and owners The Rogues Gallery at Royal Ascot in June and ran a brilliant race to finish second to Tahiyra in the Group One Matron Stakes at Leopardstown when last seen.

She now heads to France for the third time this season after a course and distance effort in Prix Allez France in April, where she finished third behind India and Mqse De Sevigne.

The former has won since in a German Group One and the latter has landed two French contests at the same grade, form that bodes incredibly well for Rogue Millennium’s return to both the track and the trip.

Clover said: “Rogue Millennium is in stall eight and she seems in really good form.

“Fingers crossed she can go well, that was a lovely run behind Tahiyra in the Matron and I’m looking forward to seeing her back up to 10 furlongs.”

Of her prior trip to Longchamp he added: “It’s strong form I’d say, Mqse De Sevigne has won two Group Ones and India won again about a week ago.

“This is a step up from that but I am excited to see her go further and run over 10 furlongs again.”

A key rival is Christopher Head’s Blue Rose Cen, winner of a string of Group races earlier in the term as she took both the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks.

Beaten in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, she was also out of luck when tried at a mile and a half in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp.

She now reverts to a mile and a quarter for what is likely to be the final race of her campaign.

“She’s running in the Opera and I think that’s pretty much going to be the end of the season for her,” Head said.

“She’s going back to the 2,000 (metres), she’s a very interesting filly.

“She has had a tremendous season and we can’t wait to see her on the Arc de Triomphe weekend.”

Aidan O’Brien will be represented in the race by Jackie Oh, a Galileo filly last seen finishing second to Lumiere Rock in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh.

The trainer said: “She was second at the Curragh last time, if any ease in the ground comes that will suit her.

“We thought that she was a little bit unlucky, she got back a little bit, but we’re looking forward to this race.

“She has form on better ground, but her performance would probably be a little bit better with ease in it.”

Lumiere Rock is in action again for Joseph O’Brien, whereas Al Husn is another fancied runner for Roger Varian after her Nassau victory ahead of Blue Rose Cen.

Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter remains unbeaten after a taking victory in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.

The Invincible Spirit two-year-old was a wide-margin maiden winner at the July course on debut and then took an Ascot novice in convincing style in early September.

Stepped up to Group Two level on the Rowley Mile and ridden by Richard Kingscote, the bay was not hard pressed to ease ahead of eight rivals and prevail by a length at 100-30, in what looked a good renewal. Al Musmak and Capulet took second and third respectively.

The Jeff Smith-owned colt was subsequently given a 16-1 quote by Coral for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Trueshan galloped to a peerless victory under Hollie Doyle in the Qatar Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp.

Alan King’s popular gelding first landed the marathon contest from Stradivarius in 2021 and was well-fancied to win again in a field of six, having made a winning return after a break in the Doncaster Cup.

Sent off the 6-5 favourite, he led the way throughout from Frankie Dettori and Emily Dickinson, and when asked to quicken in the home straight he was easily able to pull clear of his rivals to secure an easy win from Moon Wolf and Run For Oscar.

Highfield Princess will look to overcome a wide draw as she aims for 14th career success in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp on Sunday.

The sprinting star came within touching distance of a series of big races in the early part of the season before winning for the first time this year in the King George at Goodwood in early August.

From there she was was second when defending her Nunthorpe title at York before a luckless run saw her come home fifth in the Flying Five on the Curragh.

Trainer John Quinn reports she has been in good form since the Ireland trip as she looks to put that run behind her on Parisian turf.

He said: “She’s doing fine and has been well since the Curragh.

“I’ve been happy with her the last 10 days. She did a little bit of work on Tuesday morning and moved well and Jason (Hart, jockey) was happy with her.

“She looks well, it didn’t work out at the Curragh but Sunday is a different day.

“We’re looking forward to it and let’s hope she bounces back.”

Of Highfield Princess’s draw in stall 14, Quinn added: “She’s got a bit of room out there…

“She missed the break at the Curragh and slipped coming out and at least in 14 she has a bit of space where she can manoeuvre. I was hoping to get somewhere in the middle, like 10 or 12, so I’m not going to cry over 14.

“This is a nice flat track, she has good form on flat tracks and we’re looking forward to Sunday.”

Ken Condon’s Moss Tucker took the Flying Five by half a length and returns to action to try and put the seal on a consistent and progressive campaign.

“He’s come out of the win at the Curragh in really good form. He left pretty early because of the weather potentially making it tricky, but he seems to have landed there well and everything is good,” Condon said.

“He’s drawn in the middle and we can’t do anything about that, but the horse is well and we just have to see how we get on.

“It will be a very competitive race, but he has form on all types of ground. He’s obviously better with some cut in the ground and he won’t have that Sunday, but he always turns up and tries. He’s in good form and we hope he runs a big race.

“Prior to his Group One he was impressive in the Group Three and I do think he’s a horse at the peak of his powers. He’s a horse on the upgrade and improving and he was really tough when he needed to be last time, he really battled and was always getting there.

“He’s a tough, solid horse who you can always rely on to do his best. He’s taken his form to a different level this year and won a Group One his 30th start.”

Clive Cox has a pair of runners in the five-furlong event in Get Ahead, second to Moss Tucker in the Flying Five, and Kerdos, winner of the Beverley Bullet.

Of the former, he said: “She ran an absolute blinder at the Curragh and I really felt she confirmed the belief we had in her that she could compete at the highest level.

“I’m really happy she has a nice draw in nine, which is pleasing, and hopefully she can back up that wonderful Irish performance.”

Kerdos is drawn in stall four and Cox said of the colt: “He was very polished in his Beverley Bullet success and has come out of the race really well.

“We have a low draw in four with him and I couldn’t be more pleased. He’s a horse with a lot to look forward to and I just hope we get a bit of luck in running.”

Charlie Hills is another trainer set to saddle two runners in Equilateral and Equality, ridden by Jamie Spencer and Daniel Muscutt respectively.

Equilateral won a good sprint handicap at York last time and has prior Group form from earlier in the season when he was second in the Temple Stakes and fifth in the King’s Stand.

Hills said of the gelding: “Equilateral did well to win last time and I hope that will give him confidence going into this race.”

Equality finished third in the Flying Five when last seen and is drawn competitively in stall eight.

“He ran a cracker last time to finish third in the Flying Five at the Curragh, which proved he’s up to this level,” said Hills.

“With it being a dry forecast in Paris, the ground should be ideal for him. He’s shown he can run well on anything, but drying conditions certainly wouldn’t worry him like it might some of the others.

“There’s probably not a lot between these sprinters and they seem to take their turn.”

Rogue Lightning is drawn widest of all as he looks to extend the three-race winning streak he has enjoyed since being gelded in May.

“Rogue Lightning has been drawn in (stall) 19, which is a bit of a graveyard draw but he’s in really good form,” said trainer Tom Clover.

“I appreciate they’re calling it soft, but that could equate to our good to soft ground and I feel like with no rain for the last few weeks we should have some decent ground which hopefully might level it up a bit.

“We’re not drawn too far from Highfield Princess so hopefully that gives us some pace and he can run a really nice race.

Elsewhere in the race is Tim Easterby’s Art Power, a likeable grey who is regular in major sprint events, and the Karl Burke-trained duo of Dramatised and White Lavender.

Native American has the chance to emulate some illustrious names when he steps up in class for the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

Richard Fahey’s unbeaten youngster has only been seen twice so far, but has barely put a foot wrong when striding out onto the racecourse, winning with supreme ease on debut before landing a valuable Curragh prize in taking style 21 days ago.

He will now be tested at the highest level for the first time, 13 years after Fahey saddled Wootton Bassett to surge to victory in the seven-furlong Group One.

“It’s a good race and he needs to step up, but we’re pleased with him,” said Fahey.

“He’s a horse I could see improving a lot for his win the other day, but he will need to. I think he’s the lowest-rated horse in the race, but we’re very happy with him, we’re looking forward to it.”

Wootton Bassett headed to the French capital with four runs under his belt, whereas Native American is still at the formative stages of his career.

However, Malton-based Fahey does see similarities between the pair and believes the son of Sioux Nation will be an even better prospect next season.

He added: “They would be similar horses and both undefeated going there. I think Wootton Bassett had won four before going there. He was slightly more experienced, but this horse will have improved a lot now.

“He’s going to be a better three-year-old than two-year-old, but we’ve been really pleased with him since the Curragh.”

Native American is owned by the Qatar-based Wathnan racing who are also represented in the race by Adrian Keatley’s Ballymount Boy.

Second in both the Richmond Stakes and Acomb Stakes since opening his account at Hamilton, his handler believes he is fully primed to make his presence felt in Paris.

“He deserves to take his place in the field and we’ve been happy with him at home,” said Keatley.

“He’s had a nice bit of time between this and his last run, he is in great form and we’re happy with him.

“We feel this could be his turn to get his head in front. Hopefully it will be on Sunday and these are the places you want to be.”

Richard Hannon’s Rosallion saw his bubble burst in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, but Richard Hannon is hoping the prospect of better ground on the Bois de Boulogne can see his charge return to the form of his destructive earlier outings.

“It looks like it’s going to be fast ground out there which will be much more to his liking,” said Hannon.

“We were very disappointed at Doncaster and we hope he is going to show what he can really do.

“They went very slow at Doncaster and he just didn’t look like the horse we saw at Ascot or we’ve seen at home, so hopefully we will see him in a much better light.”

Another hoping to show off his star potential is Brian Meehan’s Jayarebe who looked to possess a real touch of class when scoring at Newmarket on debut and is now thrown straight in at the deep end by trainer Brian Meehan.

He said: “I think he’s really smart and he’s came out of his last race really well.

“His work has been good and he does things really easily. I thought it was a good performance at Newmarket and he beat some really nice horses.

“He could have gone to the Royal Lodge, but I figured we would go straight to a Group One.”

With Meehan’s go-to pilot Sean Levey needed to partner Rosallion, the Manton handler has called upon an old ally and weighing-room great in Frankie Dettori to do the steering aboard Jayarebe.

“We’re good friends and he’s ridden a lot of good winners for me over the years,” added the trainer.

“We’re always really selective over what Frankie rides. Sean wasn’t free so it was ideal to have Frankie.”

French hopes are carried by Yann Barberot’s unbeaten Beauvatier who brought up a four-timer when downing Andre Fabre’s reopposing Evade in the Prix la Rochette, while Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zabiari is another with smart course form to his name.

Aidan O’Brien is no stranger to success in this and saddles both Henry Adams and Unquestionable, who is the choice of Ryan Moore.

The latter has solely campaigned at six furlongs, but after brave performances in defeat, is now upped in trip.

“He ran at the Curragh last time over six furlongs, he hasn’t stepped up to seven yet,” said O’Brien.

“We think it’s going to suit him, stepping up to seven, and he’s been in good form since then.”

O’Brien also has a strong hand in the other two-year-old contest on the card, the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, where he saddles Opera Singer.

The Ballydoyle handler has won this event four times in the past and could become the joint-most successful trainer in the race if his talented daughter of Justify backs up her ruthless display on the Curragh recently when winning a Group Three by six and a half lengths.

O’Brien said: “She won a Group race at the Curragh last time over a mile, we think this race will really suit her. She’s a Justify filly and we’re really happy with her since.”

Karl Burke’s Darnation arrives with a growing reputation having claimed both the Prestige Stakes and May Hill Stakes in the manner of a top-class operator, while Frankie Dettori will don famous silks when he gets the leg-up aboard Meehan’s recent Sandown scorer Extraordinaire.

“She will appreciate the mile at Longchamp on Sunday and the ground should be nice for as well,” said her trainer.

“She’s a really nice filly who did well at Sandown last time and the form is working out well.”

Frankie Dettori will have trusted ally Kinross for company in what could be his final ride on French soil when he partners the defending champion in the Qatar Prix de la Foret on Sunday.

The retiring Italian has enjoyed plenty of success at ParisLongchamp throughout his distinguished career and little under two hours after John and Thady Gosden’s Free Wind will be his last ride in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, it is Ralph Beckett’s evergreen six-year-old that will provide his swansong on the Arc-day card.

Dettori has formed a formidable partnership with Kinross over the last few seasons with the duo counting victory in this contest amongst four big-race victories last term.

The horse the 52-year-old has affectionately referred to as a “ATM machine” in the past now returns to the French capital looking as good as ever following victories at Goodwood and York this summer, and owner Marc Chan’s 10-time scorer sets the standard in this Group One event as the pair search for one final triumph together in Europe.

“Knowing Frankie as long as I’ve known Frankie, he’s not really one to become emotionally attached to horses, but one thing is for sure, he really does like this horse and is fond of him,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for the owner.

“I remember last year by the time that race was run, the English crowd had got a fair few drinks in them and when they went back into the winner’s enclosure the crowd were chanting ‘oh Frankie Dettori’. It was pretty cool.

“Let’s hope they are all singing again.”

Further British interest in the race is provided by Charlie Hills’ Pogo and Richard Hannon’s pair of Happy Romance and Shouldvebeenaring – with the latter hoping to provide owners Middleham Park with back-to-back Arc day Group One triumphs having struck in the Prix de l’Abbaye with The Platinum Queen 12 months ago.

Another taking on a raiding mission from the UK is George Boughey’s Cachet, who came ever so close to Classic success in her sole appearance on the continent at this track last season.

Last year’s 1000 Guineas winner blew away the cobwebs following 457 days on the sidelines when fourth in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting and the prospect of favourable ground in Paris has persuaded connections to make a quick return to the track following that comeback in what could be her final outing in the blue silks of owners Highclere.

“We’ve decided we’re going to run Cachet on Sunday in the Foret,” said Highclere’s Harry Herbert.

“George is delighted with her since her comeback run at Doncaster and she worked well on the Rowley Mile earlier in the week.

“The key to her is getting good or fast ground, so hopefully she’ll get that in Paris this weekend and if she does we hope she’ll be competitive.

“This could be her last run for Highclere before she is sold at the mares’ sale in December.”

Patrice Cottier’s Prix du Moulin scorer Sauterne leads the French charge dropping back in trip by a furlong, while Prix Maurice De Gheest champion King Gold is another from the home team bringing Group One-winning form to the table.