2025 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Runners - Final Field Of 18 Line Up & Draw

18 horses will line up for the 2025 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday, 5th October. Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk was a late supplementary and is well fancied to hand the Ballydoyle victory in Europe’s showpiece, but we take a look at the all-important list of runners and the draw for the event.

From those who ran in 2024, runner-up Aventure is the most significant name. Christophe Ferland’s filly ran a mighty race behind Bluestocking 12 months ago and has won three of her four races this season, only losing to the gelding Calandagan who is ineligible for the Arc. She was an impressive winner of the Group 1 Prix Vermeille over the Arc course and distance last time out.

The story of the field though is the challenge set to be launched by Japan. Their three contenders all look to have live chances, with Japanese Derby hero Croix Du Nord, who won the Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp in his prep run, the headline act. However, that is not to diminish either Byzantine Dream or Alohi Alli, both of whom already have wins in France to their names too.

Andre Fabre is seeking a ninth win in the race to extend his record string of triumphs. He relies on two-time Group 1 winner Sosie, second to Byzantine Dream in the Prix Foy, and Cualificar, who relished the step up to 1m4f in the Prix Niel over course and distance earlier in September. The latter would also be Godolphin’s first Arc winner in 23 years.

In the absence of Minnie Hauk for now, Aidan O’Brien has last season’s third Los Angeles in the running. He is joined by compatriots White Birch for John Joseph Murphy, and Hotazhell for Jessica Harrington, among a small Irish contingent, the same size as the British trio headed by Kalpana for Andrew Balding. Her Kempton conqueror Giavellotto for Marco Botti, and Estrange for David O’Meara, are the other pair.

Francis-Henri Graffard has done superbly well at claiming big British races in recent seasons but is still chasing a first Arc success. He has three representatives of his own in Daryz, four from five on home soil, Prix de Diane heroine Gezora, and the improving five-year-old Quisisana, who claimed Group 1 glory last time out in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.

The remaining duo both belong to France’s most recent Arc-winning trainer in Jean-Claude Rouget, though are both outsiders in Leffard, the inconsistent Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris winner, and dual Group race scorer Arrow Eagle.

Arc Runners 2025