PARIS, Oct 5: Three weeks ago French Derby winner Sulamani returned to the winners enclosure under a barrage of jeers and boos - here at Longchamp Sunday his connections will be hoping for a much warmer reception should he land the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Sulamani will face 15 rivals including a runner apiece from Japan, Germany and Italy as well as the horse who has incredibly everything to prove despite landing the English and Irish Derbies, High Chaparral.

Sulamani, named after a Burmese temple, retains his favourite’s slot based on his outstanding performance in the French Derby - his prep in the Prix Niel three weeks ago was no more than a training gallop - and the fact High Chaparral has not run since taking the Irish equivalent in June owing to getting the cough.

High Chaparral’s trainer Aidan O’Brien has also suffered a sequence of high-profile reverses since the horses returned to action in early September and he has admitted the lack of a run prior to a race such as the Arc could prove to be a handicap.

Like O’Brien, Sulamani’a trainer Pascal Bary has yet to taste success at the Arc altar but he is brimming with confidence he can also provide the Greek ship-owning Niarchos family with their first victor after umpteen challenges and only Hernando’s razor thin defeat to Carnegie in 1994 to show.

A fast pace will be ensured as both Sulamani and High Chaparral will have pacemakers - the Irish contender will have Black Sam Bellamy full-brother to his predecessor as Epsom/Irish Derby champion Galileo - and with good ground assured the time could be of a record proportion.

Those two fine thoroughbreds aside there are several other runners who could spoil their respective connections of a maiden Arc win.

Chief among these and the sentimental favourite will be Aquarelliste, who found only the outstanding Sakhee the barrier to her Arc ambitions last year and according to her trainer Elie Lellouche last year’s French Oaks winner is better than ever.

Her win in the prep race, the Prix Foy, restored some confidence in her after two disappointing summer runs but the ground may prove to be a wee bit too fast for her and another honourable placing beckons.