SEA THE STARS ON THE VERGE

IMMORTALITY awaits Sea The Stars at Longchamp when victory in the Arc De Triomphe would place him securely in the top six horses of all time.

The Arc is always the climax of the season but never before can I recall such anticipation.

Longchamp will provide its usual overexcited, almost frenzied, Arc afternoon atmosphere but Sea The Stars, with his incredibly laconic and laid back attitude, could have been born for this day.

He is already bang up there with the greats. In the modern era - since 1970 - the authoritative Timeform ratings have Brigadier Gerard the best horse of all on a rating of 144.

The Brigadier is followed by Mill Reef on 141 and such mega-stars as Dancing Brave, Shergar and Dubai Millennium on 140.

Sea The Stars is already on 140 and any sort of win today would have to lever that figure upwards.

And it was revealing this week that Mill Reef trainer Ian Balding said Sea the Stars was the best he has ever seen.

So with Sea The Stars odds-on, what could possibly go wrong? Answer: Virtually anything.

The Arc is often a roughhouse with more traffic trouble than the M6, more stops than the Paris Metro and fights everywhere like it was chucking out time.

But if ever a horse had the tactical speed to take a position exactly where he wants, it has to be Sea The Stars who has the priceless assett of Mick Kinane on board.

Kinane has won the Arc twice before and, at the age of 50, is unlikely to suddenly succumb to nerves.

There is history against Sea The Stars as an endless number of Derby winners have been sunk without trace at Longchamp and no winner of the 2000 Guineas and Derby has ever won an Arc.

Admittedly Sea The Stars has had a long season but has shown no signs at home of getting even a little bit stale. If pure class, speed and temperament count for anything Sea The Stars should win this afternoon.

If he does the place will go bonkers. I am not an odds-on punter but will be roaring the favourite on and hope to land the each-way money with Vision D'Etat already advised in this column.

But for once this is a race about brilliance not betting and either on-course or glued to the box fans will follow Sea The Stars' every step when those stalls fly open at 3.15pm.

He has 18 rivals and decades of history to beat. His mum, Urban Sea, won the Arc in 1993. This afternoon her son will rise to the occasion as well.

Read Alastair Down every week in the Racing Post

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