Showman Soumillon is ready to dance an Arc jig

An elaborate Mick Jagger-style pout is one of his favourites, while this season has seen the introduction of a windmilling-arm salute patented by Mick Channon during his former life as an England striker.

Traditionalists accepted the cockiness of the new boy through gritted teeth but Soumillon's performance aboard Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe favourite Dalakhani in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly had the old guard seething. Taunting toiling rivals with a dismissive wave of the hand and a roar of "Allez!" as the Aga Khan-owned colt powered clear, Soumillon, 22, brought the wrath of middle England's horsey classes crashing down on him.

But Soumillon revels in his showman image and has found a staunch ally in Dettori. "Christophe is like me at the same age but he's more aggressive and, because he oversteps the mark sometimes, he's been left with few friends in the weighing room," said Dettori.

"His problem is partly that he's a Belgian surrounded by French guys, but I like him a lot. He's a very ambitious person with a point to prove and, although he lets his temper get the better of him sometimes, there's no doubt that he's a top-class rider."

Dettori's empathy with Soumillon isn't surprising given the things they have in common. Both are sons of jockeys who upped sticks for a strange country the moment they were old enough to leave school. Both reached the top quickly after early setbacks - Soumillon's turning point came when he was sacked by the master French trainer Andre Fabre for being late once too often.

"Everyone has faults and one of mine is that from time to time I cannot get up early in the morning," was his frank appraisal of the split.

Soumillon was caught napping in a different way at the Curragh in June when Dalakhani lost his unbeaten record to Alamshar in the Irish Derby. In that race, Soumillon made a massive tactical error in getting marooned between a posse of pacemakers and the main group.

"My horse raced like a leader when he is not a leader," was the terse analysis of Dalakhani's trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre. But all went to plan when the Darshaan colt cemented his Arc credentials with a smooth defeat of the Dettori-ridden Doyen in Longchamp's Prix Niel.

Dettori, who has three Arcs on his CV thanks to Lammtarra, Sakhee and Marienbard, has warned Soumillon to expect a much tougher battle when Doyen renews rivalry with Dalakhani at Longchamp on Sunday.

"Doyen is a developing stayer who also has gears and we took Dalakhani on in a cat-and-mouse race for the Niel to see what weapons he possesses," he said. "We found out that he has plenty, but Doyen is improving and provided I get a good draw I'm hopeful that we can bridge the gap."

Wait, wait and wait again will be a fair summary of the Soumillon gameplan, and the man charged with delivering the striking colt's trademark late surge has unshakeable faith in Dalakhani's ability to cut down Doyen as well as High Chaparral and the rest of a stellar cast.

And what about the celebrations if Soumillon wins the race that has dominated his thoughts for the last six months? Well, it is believed that the Aga himself has had a quiet word advising caution, while Royer-Dupre reflected on Soumillon's Chantilly show by simply saying "it was a nervous reflex, a liberation after a lot of pressure, but once will be enough".

Whether the man himself will be able to resist making another grand gesture if Dalakhani earns his place among the greats on Sunday is another matter.

After all, celebrating victory with a flourish has never been a criminal offence in liberal-minded Paris.

And even if it were, who could resist a Belgian plea for clemency based on that time-honoured French defence of crime passionel?