Jessica Harrington is looking forward to stepping Hotazhell up to a mile and a half for the first time when he takes his chance in an open-looking Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.

A winner of the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on his final outing at a juvenile, Hotazhell has failed to get his head front at three, but he has run some solid races in defeat, finishing third behind Field Of Gold in the Irish 2000 Guineas on his belated reappearance before fourth place finishes in both the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes and Irish Champion Strakes.

Having stayed on nicely through the line in the Irish Champion Strakes, connections will now step their son of Too Darn Hot up to a mile and a half for the first time, with Harrington happy to let him take his chance in Sunday's middle-distance premier prize.

Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, she said: "I watched him run in the Champion Stakes (Gr.1) at Leopardstown, and I came off the stand thinking, 'that horse wants a mile and a half', because all he was doing was staying on in the last half-furlong. I thought, if we step him up to a mile and a half, maybe that's what he's been looking for all year.

"He's run consistently all year without winning, which has been frustrating. I just thought, well, there is only one Arc, and we might as well take a chance and go for it. I know it's a big ask, but he came out of the Champion Stakes very well."

Hotazhell will not be Harrington's only representative on Arc day, with the progressive three-year-old Barnavara set for a step up to Group 1 level in the Prix de l'Opera following her success in the Moyglare "Jewels" Blandford Stakes at the Curragh in September.

Harrington added: "Barnavara goes to the Prix de l'Opera. She's been fantastic this year. She's really been a revelation, stepping up from a mile to a mile and a quarter. Every time she's stepped up, she's done her best."