Exciting Merchant to Miss Autumn Targets Due to Injury

Royal Ascot scorer Merchant, who had been an intended runner in Sunday's G2 Qatar Prix Niel at ParisLongchamp, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a setback.

Trained by William Haggas, Merchant was a dominant winner of the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, before taking the step up to Group company in his stride with a narrow defeat of Wimbeldon Hawkeye (Kameko) in the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last time.

The son of Teofilo was due to put his Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe credentials to the test in the Prix Niel, but those plans for the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt have now had to be shelved.

“He's just met with a little setback, so unfortunately he will be out for the rest of the year,” said Haggas.

“It was always the plan to go to ParisLongchamp for the Prix Niel, but unfortunately we're not going. We feel a bit gutted, but sadly that's just the way it goes.”

Star-Studded Cast Taking Shape for Arc Trials

In the absence of Merchant, G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Leffard (Le Havre) headlines the list of 11 horses still in contention for the Prix Niel, with Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Cualificar (Lope De Vega) and Derby third Tennessee Stud (Wootton Bassett) featuring among the potential opposition.

Elsewhere on the card, G1 Pretty Polly Stakes and G1 Nassau Stakes winner Whirl (Wootton Bassett) could face up to six rivals in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille, including Prix de Diane scorer Gezora (Almanzor) and 2024 runner-up Aventure (Sea The Stars).

Last year Aventure went on to fill the same position in the Arc, just ahead of Sunday's G2 Qatar Prix Foy contenders Los Angeles (Camelot) and Sosie (Sea The Stars), both multiple Group 1 winners. That pair feature among 11 older horses who have stood their ground for the Prix Foy, along with Ed Walker's Almaqam (Lope De Vega) and Japanese raider Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia).

Meanwhile, the other Group 1 contest on Sunday's card, the Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, features 13 possible runners following Wednesday's forfeit stage, including the previous top-level winners Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett), Lead Artist (Dubawi) and Rosallion (Blue Point).