It’s a good thing Ireland do not have a Rugby World Cup game scheduled this weekend.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s most important horserace, takes place in Paris on Sunday and flights are expensive enough without having to compete with 30,000 rugby fans for a seat on the plane.

There hasn’t been an Irish-trained winner since 2016 – and only four since 2000 – which is a bit disappointing for a country which claims to be a world-leader at the gee-gees. Britain has had seven Arc winners in the same period, and yet Irish horses dominate so many of the best races in Britain every year.

At time of writing there will be probably only be one Irish-trained runner in this year’s Arc, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Continuous. Winner of the Doncaster St Leger just three weeks ago, Continuous is a late entry at a cost of €120,000, which at least suggests he must be working very well.

First prize

However, as the first prize is €2.8 million, it represents a good bet to pay the supplementary fee for Continuous as the owners are effectively getting over 20/1 odds on a horse whom the bookies rate a 7/1 shot.

The favourite is the French Derby winner, Ace Impact. He’s never been beaten in five career starts and, in typical French style, he has been rested for much of the summer.

Of course, Aidan O’Brien could have sent over Auguste Rodin, winner of both the English and Irish Derbys, but he is being kept for the Breeders’ Cup in California in November.

Yet, all the stats say that Aidan O’Brien only does well in the Arc with older horses, not with three-year-olds.

With a dry week forecast in France, the ground should be good, and that won’t be ideal for second favourite Hukum, who prefers a bit of ease. On good ground, it would be no surprise to see Westover reverse Ascot form with Hukum, and indeed Westover is a good bet to improve markedly on his sixth placing in last year’s Arc.

Previous course form is a big help, and that’s what you get with Feed The Flame. This French-trained three-year-old has won three times at the track and, following a mid-summer break, he was not abused when second in a trial race here a few weeks ago.

Softer ground would have been better for this son of Kingman but, like Ace Impact, he is lightly raced and therefore capable of significant improvement.

His trainer Pascal Bary has won the French Derby six times but he has never won the Arc. Feed The Flame might be the one to finally do it for him on Sunday.

If he does, the French national anthem will be played during the presentation. We’ll have to wait for the Rugby World Cup final to hear Ireland’s Call in Paris.