With a wildcard entry available for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October, it is little surprise to see a competitive field of six line up for Sunday’s Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris, run over the same course and distance at Longchamp.

It has been a race which Aidan O'Brien has successfully plundered in recent years – recording three straight wins between 2018 and 2020 with Kew Gardens, Japan and Mogul. Last year's second Illinois went on to finish second in the St Leger at Doncaster and the Irish trainer will be represented by the beautifully-bred Trinity College. Out of dual Guineas winning Hermosa, Trinity College finished fourth (only beaten one length) behind stablemate Camille Pissarro in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly and dominated at Royal Ascot subsequently, winning the 1m2f Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes by an easy three-and-a-half lengths.

France has kept the Grand Prix de Paris at home for the last three years and there is a strong domestic defence, headed by Henri-Francois Devin's New Ground. Third on his two starts over 1m1f and 1m2f in France at the start of the season, the Juddmonte-owned colt produced an excellent performance to finish fourth in the 1m4f Group 1 Derby at Epsom behind Lambourn, relishing the extra stamina test. Previously ridden by Alexis Pouchin and Maxime Guyon, newly retained Juddmonte jockey Colin Keane will partner with New Ground for the first time.

Christophe Ferland's Uther boasts strong family connections as a half-brother to last year's Grand Prix de Paris winner Sosie. It will be the colt's first time at 1m4f, having looked to find 1m2½f a little short of ideal when third in the Group 3 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on his last start.

Frankly Good Cen stepped up to Group 1 company for the first time when seventh in the Prix du Jockey Club and shaped better than the bare result suggests, finishing only three lengths behind the winner. Francis-Henri Graffard's Surabad is a proven performer at the distance, having already recorded a win over course and trip in the Listed Prix de l'Avre in April.

The line-up is completed by Jean-Claude Rouget's Leffard, who is aiming to get back on track after a disappointing defeat in the Prix du Jockey Club, where he finished seventeenth.