The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a race close to my heart and rightly regarded as one of the world’s most important 2400m contests and this year’s edition shapes as one of the most competitive in the race’s storied history on an action-packed simulcast day in Hong Kong on Sunday (2 October).
At a time when top-class international competition has never been more important to racing, we are fortunate to also celebrate one of the most prestigious sprints in racing with the staging of the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at 2.40pm (Hong Kong time) from Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on Sunday (2 October) before attention turns to the running of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at 10.05pm (Hong Kong time) in Paris.
The Hong Kong Club Jockey Club will simulcast seven races for betting from Sprinters Stakes Day, with the Sprinters Stakes – which was won by Hong Kong’s champion sprinter Silent Witness in 2005 – featured as the sixth of seven races from Japan.
The Sprinters Stakes is run over 1200 metres and provides a preview of which Japanese-based horses will come to Hong Kong for the LONGINES Hong Kong International Sprint on 11 December. The presence of T M Spada will ensure a good pace as she will go forward from her inside draw to run genuine sectionals with regular rider Kyosuke Kokubun.
Meikei Yell has won three of four races this season and comes off a course-record win in the Group 2 Centaur Stakes in her last start three weeks ago. She will do her running from inside of midfield and is a win and place chance in her current form. Regular rider Kenichi Ikezoe has the ride.
Namura Clair is another filly in the race that merits serious attention. She is incredibly consistent and is drawn to get a nice run under Suguru Hamanaka from just off the early leaders. I make her a place chance. Win Marvel is an improving three-year-old colt that is set for his first try in elite company. He is also a place chance with jockey Kohei Matsuyama.
Taisei Vision has yet to win this season but has a good string of seconds coming into this race. He will do his running from the back and should be respected as a place chance in his current form. Yuichi Fukunaga picks up the ride.
Another runner of interest is the talented German-bred Schnell Meister, who tries 1200 for the first time in his career. He will be closing the race off strongly with Takeshi Yokoyama. This is his first race in four months and this trip may prove too sharp for him, though it should set him up nicely for mile races later this year and we may see him in Hong Kong this December.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe will be run as the first of six races from ParisLongchamp Racecourse, where Titleholder is a strong contender for Team Japan and he will make the running with regular rider Kazuo Yokoyama. He is unbeaten in three starts as a four-year-old and has developed into a top horse. I make him a place chance.
Luxembourg is the big hope for Ireland and he has always been highly regarded. He has won five of six races in his career, including a determined win in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes three weeks ago. Ryan Moore will track the leaders from midfield and he is a place chance in his first try over this extended trip.
My win and place chance is Do Deuce, who is second-up after winning the Japanese Derby in May. He is proven over the trip and three-year-olds have a good record in this race. He will show improvement from his last start and may be good enough to prove best in a wide-open contest under Yutake Take.
Onesto is a three-year-old Frankel colt and he has peaked at the right time. He will make his run from the back for Stephane Pasquier and is a place chance.
I am delighted to be able to return to Paris this year for the Arc after unfortunately not being able to attend the centenary edition of this amazing race last year because of the pandemic. I am excited to be back in Paris, especially with the opportunity to next week discuss several issues vital to racing’s future at the 2022 International Conference of Horseracing Authorities.
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