It’s Arc weekend at Longchamp, with Europe’s richest horse race taking place this Sunday. Our ante-post expert has delved into the cards, identifying selections for the five main Group 1 races – including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe itself. Check out their thoughts below, with all selections backable via bet365, and their exclusive new customer offer.
VALIA – (Prix du Cadran) 8/1
Last year’s Prix du Cadran winner Princess Zoe heads the market for this year’s race, but with a fairly settled forecast on the build-up to Saturday’s race, she may find conditions on the quick side.
The vote goes to VALIA, who finished ahead of Princess Zoe when runner-up in the Prix Royal-Oak here at the end of last year.
She has finished 2nd, 1st and 3rd in three starts in 2021, the latest effort coming over 1m4f which looked a trip well short of her best. Stepping back up markedly in distance has the potential to bring about some improvement from Valia this weekend, and therefore she rates the value each-way play at her current 8/1 odds.
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GLASS SLIPPERS – (Prix de l’Abbaye) 4/1
Kevin Ryan’s GLASS SLIPPERS was beaten just a neck into second in last year’s Abbaye, and she appears to have been campaigned this season with the race very much in mind again.
Glass Slippers built on a respectable seasonal reappearance at Goodwood when beaten less than a length in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh. She did by far the best of the prominent racers that day, with the winner and second both held up off the pace.
The impressive three-length Abbaye winner in 2019, Glass Slippers tends to peak around this time of year – with her form figures from the start of September to the end of the year currently reading 16111213.
Suesa is a smart filly who will undoubtedly run her race, but there appears too great a price difference between herself and Glass Slippers – these two look the horses to focus on.
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DUHAIL – (Prix de la Foret) 12/1
Andre Fabre’s DUHAIL has been revitalised as a 5yo, twice chasing home Marianafoot in Group 3’s here at Longchamp before finishing fourth in the Sussex Stakes.
That Goodwood run can be upgraded as Duhail received no luck in running and was conceding lumps of weight to less exposed 3yo’s.
He found the drop back to 6f against him at Deauville last time, so going back up a furlong will suit here, and Duhail finished third in a handicap on this card last year – the 12/1 available looks well worth taking.
Speak Of The Devil looked unfortunate not to finish closer in a Group 3 over this very course and distance last time and could give the selection most to think about here granted better luck in running.
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CHRONO GENESIS – (Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) 9/1
A famous first Arc winner for Japan is fancied here courtesy of CHRONO GENESIS.
A four-time Grade 1 winner in her native Japan, the latest victory coming in the Takarazuka Kinen – where Chrono Genesis showed a taking turn of foot to run down the field.
On her start prior to that, Chrono Genesis had finished just a neck behind Mishriff in the Dubai Sheema Classic (receiving 4lbs) – a run that could be upgraded as she suffered interference on the turn for home.
Adayar is less than half the price of Chrono Genesis but on a formline through Mishriff it could be argued those prices are skewed – with Mishriff just a length and three quarters behind Adayar in the King George despite conceding 11lbs.
Whilst this is admittedly beginning to sound more like the numbers round in Countdown than an ante-post article, factoring in those weights would suggest there is very little between Adayar and Chrono Genesis – and therefore at the prices it is the 5yo who is preferred.
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JOAN OF ARC – (Prix de l’Opera) 10/1
A wide-open ante-post betting heat here with Love and Teona set to contest the Arc and La Petite Coco perhaps being saved for British Champions Day.
With the aforementioned Love missing, JOAN OF ARC is set to be the Ballydoyle number one here.
This beautifully bred daughter of Galileo took the Prix de Diane at Chantilly earlier this year and put up arguably an even better performance in defeat in the Nassau Stakes afterwards. She bombed out when trying 1m4f for the first time on Trials Day, but dropping back to a more suitable distance will suit and the double-figure price about her looks a shade of value.
Burgarita and Ebaiyra both look possible runners in the 1m6f Prix de Royallieu but they would look interesting if taking in this assignment instead.
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Arc Weekend Best Bets
VALIA – (Prix du Cadran) 8/1
GLASS SLIPPERS – (Prix de l’Abbaye) 4/1
DUHAIL – (Prix de la Foret) 12/1
CHRONO GENESIS – (Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) 9/1
JOAN OF ARC – (Prix de l’Opera) 10/1
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