A hugely competitive renewal of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe will take place at Longchamp on Sunday afternoon at 3.05pm with all 18 runners believing they have a chance of etching their name alongside some of the greats of the middle distance Flat world. Here at GG, we take a look at the European showpiece and pick out a double-priced runner, as well as our 1-2-3 for the contest.
Favourites
A gallant runner-up behind Bluestocking in last year’s Arc, Aventure is back for another crack at the contest and Christophe Ferland’s filly is well fancied to get her head in front this time around. Last seen beating Gezora in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille the daughter of Sea The Stars looks to be equally as good as last year and if she can emulate last season’s run then she has to be on the vicinity.
Aidan O’Brien has surprisingly only tasted victory in this race on two occasions with Dylan Thomas (2007) and Found (2016), but the master of Ballydoyle will have a strong team heading to Paris and spearheading them will be dual Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk. Having outbattled Whirl in the Oaks at Epsom, she then sauntered to success in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh before outclassing her rivals in the Yorkshire Oaks. The three-year-old will be in receipt of a lot of weight from her older, male rivals for this contest and having shown she is a real dour stayer and battler then she looks tailor-made for this sort of event.
A winner of the Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day last season, Andrew Balding’s Kalpana has been touted as a potential Arc contender all season, but she has finished second on her last three outings, with her last defeat coming at the hands of Giavellotto in the September Stakes at Kempton. A return to turf should see that form reversed, but it’s left the question whether she has the battle in her to challenge in the closing stages.
Japan are still looking for a first win in this race and their challenge could rely on Byzantine Dream, who lines up on the back of a fine Prix Foy win over Sosie last time out. The pair are available at double-figured odds for this contest, but the former has been given a hellish draw in stall 16, so Sosie, who was fourth last year, from stall 3 could reverse that form.
Outsiders
Another contender lining up for Japan is Croix Du Nord, who is another that has excelled on French shores having last been seen beating Daryz in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp in mid-September. A short-head winner that day, Croix Du Nord is another that has been handed a tough draw from 17 and with Daryz drawn in stall 2 then the French star can turn that around. Daryz picked up four wins from four at the start of her career, but was last of six in the Juddmonte International at York, but did show better signs last time out. Looking to hand his star trainer Francis-Henri Graffard a first win in the Arc, Daryz has to be considered a lively each-way contender at attractive odds, if producing his best here.
An eight times winner of the race, Andre Fabre’s record is incomparable and he will unleash Cualificar, who was last seen winning the Group 2 Prix Niel last month and is certainly a really consistent performer at the highest level and has to be attractive to each-way punters.
Third in this race last season, Los Angeles will be the second shot fired by the O’Brien gun, but he’s been disappointing in recent outings, so will need to bounce back to form here, while the glorious grey Estrange was last seen being well beaten by Minnie Hauk at York last time out, and from a wide draw has it all to do.
Top class on his day, White Birch has struggled to deliver the goods this season and will have it all to do if performing similarly again here, while Giavellotto will want it to turn into a real stamina test, as he showed when beating Kalpana that he’s all about stamina.
Verdict
A wide open renewal that will see Minnie Hauk look to continue her fine season, but she may prove vulnerable to the classy DARYZ, who can hold a positive position from stall 2 and outbattle the Ballydoyle raider, while last year’s runner-up Aventure can run another fine race in defeat and bag third spot.
- Daryz
- Minnie Hauk
- Aventure
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