Sottsass has halved in price for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe since being introduced at 16/1 following his Prix Du Jockey Club (French Derby) win in early-June, and that’s despite him not being seen in public since.

Due to reappear in this Sunday's Qatar Prix Niel over the same course and distance as the Arc, Jean-Claude Rouget's colt looks a fascinating potential contender against the all-conquering Enable, who is now odds-on across the board for a historic third Arc win.

It's not a strong-looking Niel at the time of writing, Rouget and owners White Birch Farm having a likely pace-setter in Veronesi, while Aidan O'Brien's Mohawk and Mount Everest won't be joined by Investec Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, who is declared for the Irish Champion Stakes (more on him below).

The other two of the seven entries have plenty to find so Sottsass might be able to enjoy a nice prep run on what will be his first outing for well over three months.

It will also be the son of Siyouni’s first attempt at a mile and a half and that is the big quandary when it comes to backing him now at 8/1 for an Arc.

A small-field, slowly-run Niel in which the horse is set to be only 80% fit is unlikely to prove anything beyond doubt, but there are reasons to question why the move up in distance would spark more improvement in a horse who was progressing at a serious rate over 10 furlongs in the spring time.

Siyouni’s best progeny so far, namely Ervedya and Laurens, don’t stay the 2400m trip.

Three-time Group One winner Ervedya never even attempted it, while Laurens, winner of six Group Ones and counting, has been campaigned over much shorter since last year's below-par run in the Yorkshire Oaks.

The dam's side of the pedigree gives a little hope Sottsass will handle the extra yardage - he's out of a Galileo mare in Starlet's Sister which you'd instinctively imagine would help impart stamina.

But the mare's two other progeny, My Sister Nat and Sistercharlie, have been most effective over nine and 10 furlongs.

Sistercharlie admittedly won last year's Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over a mile and three, but it was way, way off what you'd consider a thorough European test at the trip (26.20 seconds for the first quarter and 51.81 through a half-mile) so it’s hard to class that as caste-iron evidence.

If he stays, Sottsass will become a player but at the current odds I’m willing to look beyond him.