For racing purists, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting is one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures on the global racing stage and this season is no exception.
With six Group 1 contests, the Arc meeting is crammed with quality and will be monitored closely by racing fans around the world. Our Sunday evening simulcast programme starts at 7.55pm with the first of eight races from Parislongchamp with the running of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m), which is carded as S1-1.
The clear favourite is Francis-Henri Graffard’s unbeaten two-year-old ZARIGANA (Mickael Barzalona), whose main opposition is expected to come from Aidan O’Brien’s BEDTIME STORY (Ryan Moore) and Ollie Sangster’s SIMMERING (Dylan Browne McMonagle).
The G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1400m) is carded S1-2 and run at 8.30pm. John & Thady Gosden are represented by FIELD OF GOLD (Kieren Shoemark), who will vie for favouristim with Aidan’s HENRI MATISSE (Ryan Moore), while Brian Meehan’s impressive Royal Ascot winner RASHABAR (Sean Levey) has the form to test the leading two contenders.
The G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) is carded as S1-3 and run at 9.05pm. It is always a fiercely contested sprint and BRADSELL (Hollie Doyle) will chase a third consecutive Group 1 for young British trainer Archie Watson. BELIEVING (Billy Loughnane) is also a winning chance for George Boughey, while NO HALF MEASURES (Oisin Murphy), KERDOS (Richard Kingscote), STARLUST (Rossa Ryan) and MAKAROVA (Tom Marquand) are all place chances.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s greatest race, is carded as S1-4 and will be run over 2400m at 10.20pm. With 16 runners, the pace is expected to be good but with uncertain weather forecast, it will be important to monitor the track conditions if there is rain.
CONTINUOUS is one of two runners for Aidan O’Brien and is likely to go forward for Christophe Soumillon after drawing barrier 14, while SEVENNA’S KNIGHT (Mickael Barzalona), HAYA ZARK (William Buick) and SUNWAY (Oisin Murphy) could attempt to cross from wide barriers, ensuring a solid pace.
Andre Fabre has won the Arc eight times, the first in 1987 with TREMPOLINO and most recently with WALDGEIST in 2019, and is regarded as a master in peaking his horses for the Parisian showpiece. Andre has three starters tonight – SOSIE, MQSE DE SEVIGNE and SEVENNA’S KNIGHT.
SOSIE won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G2 Prix Niel over this course and distance and is a highly-talented three-year-old. He is unbeaten at Parislongchamp and is perfectly drawn in barrier five for Maxime Guyon. He is proven on good and soft ground and is a win and place chance.
LOOK DE VEGA suffered his first defeat when beaten more than three lengths by SOSIE last start but will be improved for the run. Winner of the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) in June, LOOK DE VEGA will start from barrier eight under Ronan Thomas and is also a win and place chance.
Like SOSIE and LOOK DE VEGA, LOS ANGELES is a three-year-old and will attempt to provide Aidan will his third win in the race. Ryan Moore takes the ride on the G1 Irish Derby (2400m) winner and, from barrier 10, will prove very hard to beat as a place chance.
SHIN EMPEROR, a three-year-old full brother to 2020 Arc winner Sottsass, will attempt to give Japan its first victory in the race. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, SHIN EMPEROR finished strongly to finish third behind ECONOMICS in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and will be suited by the extra distance as a place chance.
In what is a very open race, BLUESTOCKING (Rossa Ryan), AL RIFFA (Yutaka Take), DELIUS (Ioritz Mendizabal) and AVENTURE (Stephane Pasquier) all have place chances, while it would not surprise if MQSE DE SEVIGNE, who is ridden by talented young French jockey Alexis Pouchin, contends strongly for a sixth Group 1 victory.
The G1 Prix de l’Opera (2000m) is carded as S1-5 and run at 11.05pm. FALLEN ANGEL (James Doyle) is perfectly drawn in barrier two as she bids to win a third Group 1 for Karl Burke. Aidan and Ryan combine with YLANG YLANG, while Aidan’s second runner CONTENT (Christophe Soumillon) is also given a strong chance. SPARKLING PLENTY (Cristian Demuro) and FRIENDLY SOUL (Kieren Shoemark) are place chances.
The sixth and final Group 1 of the meeting is the Prix de la Foret (1400m), which is carded as S1-6 and run at 11.40pm. Hong Kong-owned KINROSS (Rossa Ryan) chases his 12th career win for trainer Ralph Beckett and any rain would enhance his chances. I wish owner Mr Marc Chan the very best of luck with KINROSS who, as a seven-year-old and last-start winner, is still racing extremely well. RAMATUELLE (Aurelien Lemaitre) and TRIBALIST (Mickael Barzalona) are also win and place chances, while BIG ROCK (Christophe Soumillon) and POET MASTER (Sam James) are place chances.
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