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There was incredible drama at the finish of the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Group 1) on Sunday at ParisLongchamp. For several long minutes, it seemed that the British filly Shes Perfect (by Sioux Nation) had pulled off an impressive gate-to-wire victory, showing true grit… but unfortunately for her, the filly owned by the Basher Watts Racing 2 syndicate drifted significantly in the home straight, severely hampering Zarigana (by Siyouni).

ZARKAVA'S trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has admitted concerns over his star filly's inside draw in tomorrow's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Unbeaten in her six starts, with the last three at Group One level, the Aga Khan's representative is set be sent off a short-priced favourite but will break from stall one at Longchamp.

While pleased with her preparation since winning the Prix Vermeille, Royer-Dupre would also prefer conditions not to soften further.

The Aga Khan’s brilliant filly Zarkava faces the biggest challenge of her career on Sunday at Longchamp when she meets males for the first time in the $6,243,600 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), Europe’s premier middle-distance race.

On Sunday, Zarkava will put her unbeaten record on the line in attempting to become the Aga Khan's fourth winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, recognised as the pinnacle of achievement for middle-distance horses in Europe.

The Aga has raced some pretty special fillies in his time, including Aliysa, whose disqualification from the 1989 Oaks led to the owner boycotting British racing for some four years, but Zarkava looks like the best of them all.