Natasha (GB)

It is racing's greatest dichotomy. Labelled by the official ParisLongchamp website as "la meilleure course au monde", the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will have few who brook any argument with that claim. Yet it is the time of year within which it is framed that delivers the ultimate snag, with autumn's entry prompting an often drastic change in terrain and a late turnpike for the kings and queens of summer just past. Half of the previous 10 renewals of France's great monument have been run on testing...

14.00 Sandown, Nov, £10,000, 2yo, f, 8fT George Strawbridge's homebred 2-year-old filly NATASHA (GB) (Frankel {GB}) stepped up from an Aug. 2 debut second tackling one mile at Kempton to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with a five-length Aug. 20 win back over that course and distance in her only other start. The John and Thady Gosden trainee faces five rivals in this turf introduction, headed by Woodford Thoroughbreds' 400,000gns Tattersalls December foal River of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who is a Ralph Beckett-trained half-sister to stakes-winning G2...

Green when runner-up in her Aug. 2 unveiling tackling one mile at Kempton, George Strawbridge's homebred 2-year-old filly Natasha (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a half-sister to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), returned to the scene of that defeat to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with an imperious performance in Friday's Try Our New Price Boosts At Unibet Fillies' Novice S. over the same one-mile strip. Sent forward to gain an early lead after breaking fourth from the outside gate, the 8-11 favourite  was untroubled on the front end throughout and powered...