The time and effort invested in Japan’s quest to win Europe’s greatest race, the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2,400m) at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, may finally be rewarded with Shin Emperor, the brother of 2020 Arc winner Sottsass.

Third in the Group One Tokyo Yushun (2,400m) in May, he raced keenly in the Group One Irish Champion Stakes (2,000m) on last month’s European introduction and, after losing position 800m out, one might have thought Shin Emperor would then fade. On the contrary, he was surging late to finish just a length third behind the brilliant Economics.

And his trainer Yoshito Yahagi insists the three-year-old was only “70-80 per cent ready” for that Leopardstown assignment.

With Yahagi and jockey Ryusei Sakai briefly back in Japan, Shoya Yoshida has been closely involved in supervision of the flashy chestnut colt, who has drawn gate 11 in the 16-runner field.

“He put in a very satisfying run at Leopardstown. We think he is well suited by European courses and he is in really good shape now. Cristian Demuro rode him at work at Chantilly and says that slow ground seems to suit him,” said Yoshida.

Currently soft ground is the most likely scenario for the big day.

Japanese interest is also sharpened by the presence of 55-year-old legend Yutaka Take partnering the Joseph O’Brien-trained Al Riffa. The move up to 2,400m was surely a factor in that colt’s runaway victory in the Group One Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten in August.

Gone are the days when the Prix Niel, a Group Two three weeks before the big race and over the same ParisLongchamp course and distance, was the most revered Arc trial – the last time a horse won both in the same year was Rail Link back in 2006.

However, last month’s Prix Niel may provide compelling clues to the Arc outcome in Paris on Sunday.

Before the Prix Niel start, stylish Group One Prix du Jockey Club (2,100m) winner Look De Vega was the clear Arc favourite, but that swiftly changed after Sosie – who had previously landed the Group One Grand Prix de Paris (2,400m) – showed no sign of giving way in the straight, easily fending off Delius with Look De Vega back in third. That pair seek revenge under jockeys Ioritz Mendizabal and Ronan Thomas, respectively.

Sosie’s trainer Andre Fabre – who also runs Mqse De Sevigne and Sevenna’s Knight – is hunting for a record-stretching ninth Arc win, whereas Sosie’s rider Maxime Guyon can so far only boast near-misses in the ParisLongchamp spectacular.

“He’s been brilliant since stretching out to 2,400m and those two wins here shows how well this track suits him,” Guyon said of Sosie, who is drawn in stall five and whose sire Sea The Stars won the 2009 Arc.

“He has a perfect temperament and you can ride him in any way. With Sosie you always feel that you have plenty of horse under you.”