Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee issued an upbeat bulletin about Orfevre a day after Japan’s Horse of the Year won the G2 Prix Foy at Longchamp.

Orfevre (4c Stay Gold – Oriental Art by Mejiro McQueen) is on course to give his country an elusive victory in the G1 Arc de Triomphe next month.  “I think he will get even better although I could feel the high level of international competition,” Ikee said.  “You’re never allowed to win too easily here.

“He had a bit of trouble settling in the first half of the race, but when the pace picked up, he ran very nicely.  I think we will be able to have him in even better shape for the Arc.”

Orfevre emulated Deep Impact when he completed Japan’s 2000 Guineas – Derby double last year for Shadai Stallion Station off-shoot Sunday Racing.

His sire Stay Gold (Sunday Silence) won the 2001 Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Hong Kong Vase before retiring to the Japanese Breeders Stallion Station.  He’s already come close to an Arc victory with Nakayama Festa who was beaten a head by Workforce 2010.

Japan’s El Condor Pasa won the Prix Foy in 1999 before finishing a half a length second to Montjeu in the Arc.  Deep Impact finished third to Rail Link in the 2006 Arc but was later led disqualified after failing a drug test.