The famed Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is taking place this weekend.
On the France Galop website, the message is not as subtle. “The Greatest Horse Race in the World”, it declares.
American and Australian racing people might quibble about that assertion, but the British and Irish don’t seem to mind it – probably because for many decades they have been raiding across the channel, winning the race and carrying home the spoils.
The “Arc” is the richest race in Europe and is, arguably, the most influential and prestigious one on the continent. It is certainly the premier middle-distance test for horses of all ages and sexes (except geldings), with not a moderate galloper in sight and many of its mighty combatants going on to stellar careers at stud.
Yanks and Aussies might spurn affaire française, but the Japanese do not. That racing-mad nation has been trying to win the Arc for more than 50 years – sending a stream of top horses to the Bois de Bolougne to try to summit the peak of thoroughbred breeding excellence.
In 1970 the Japanese raider was Speed Symboli, who finished 11th. Since then the challenge has been stronger, but the Asians haven’t cracked it. In 1999, El Condor Pasa led for every stride but the final few as he was caught by Montjeu; in 2010 it was Nakayama Festa’s turn to be pipped – by Workforce; and in 2012 Oufevre went down narrowly to Solemia.
On Sunday, trainer Mitsuru Hoshida saddles Diedre, but the filly languishes at 50-1 in the betting so the chances of the duck being broken are not high.
That’s not to say Japan won’t win the race, though. There’s a 20-1 shot called Japan in the field, though it’s a British-bred horse trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien.
O’Brien saddles no fewer than four of the 15 acceptors thus far – and might supplement in a fifth later this week. He has won the race twice before – with Dylan Thomas in 2007 and Found in 2016 – and hasn’t complained once about the boastful marketing.
To coin an Americanism, the winningmost Arc trainer is French legend Andre Fabre, who will be seeking a ninth title with 20-1 chance Persian King. This runner could be canny bet as the weather forecast is for heavy rain in the lead-up to Sunday and this guy is a well-proven “mud lark”.
The most successful jockey is Frankie Dettori, whose six victories date back to 1997 and Lamtarra. His task this time is not only to extend his run but to set a new record of three wins by one horse – that being the mighty mare Enable, who won in 2017 and 2018 but fell just short in 2019 with second place behind Fabre’s German-bred Waldgeist.
Enable returns to ParisLongchamp to shed the label of the seventh horse with two Arcs and assume the title of the first with three.
Punters think she’ll do it; she has been backed into favourite in recent days, displacing O’Brien’s brilliant three-year-old filly Love at the top of the betting boards. Some of this sentiment comes from Enable’s impressive preparation victory recently and some from Love not being as experienced in soft going.
Enable’s trainer John Gosden, aiming for a fourth Arc after her two and Golden Horn’s in 2015, also sends out the extraordinary Stradivarius. While the Arc’s 2400m will be widely adjudged too sharp for the superstar stayer, Gosden has mentioned his fellow’s good turn of foot, which, together with heavy ground, could see him prevail at odds of 7-1.
It promises to be a vintage edition of the Arc, marred only by the lack of a crowd. Attendances of up to 5,000 people at sporting events were being allowed in France until a surge in coronavirus cases spooked the government and it cut the limit back to 1,000.
The race will be broadcast locally on Tellytrack and extensive betting opportunities are available on TAB and bookmakers’ websites.
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