The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is the biggest flat race in France and on Sunday the Paris Longchamp course hosts the Grade 1 renewal once more.
Contested over 1m4f this attracts some of the best horses around the world, but due to the time of year, are often the toughest with their ability to handle soft ground.
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Unlike much of the flat season throughout the summer, the ground is mostly wanted to be dry and sunny.
While the Arc often displays the best of the 1m4f horses that are that bit more determined amongst a big field of Grade 1 colts and fillies.
This year there’s nearly £2.5m on offer to the winner alone, which is another driving factor to the Arc’s successes in attracting the best of the best.
Recent winners of the Arc, include Enable (2017 & 2018), Torquator Tasso, Alpinista and Ace Impact.
With France winning three of the last five, but also only three of the last nine.
There are still the maximum of 20 entries into this year’s race ahead of the final declarations on Friday morning, with the ground expected to be its usual soft to heavy.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe preview
Sosie is the big favourite at 9/2, trained by Andre Fabre, this colt looks impressive.
He’s by the 2009 Arc winner, Sea The Stars and is looking to be following in his footsteps looking to thrive over this distance.
The three-year-old has now won twice on the bounce since being upped to the 1m4, both in Group contests and both over course and distance.
In fact he beat the odds-on favourite and reappearing rival Look De Vega last time out in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel, so comfortably it’s no surprise to see him come out the favourite now for the Arc.
Japan have long wanted an Arc to add to their worldwide accolades.
This year, the betting suggests they have potentially their best hope yet in Shin Emperor at just 6/1.
He has had the ideal prep coming into this race, staying at Longchamp since August ahead of his Irish Champion Stakes appearance, in which he finished a close third behind Economics and August Rodin.
But crucially, that is over 1m2f and he finished better than most staying on in the final furlong to claim third from the impressive Los Angeles.
That form puts him right up there over this distance and it will be interesting to see how he handles the ground.
His sire, Siyouni was able to cope with very soft on two occasions, placing seventh here in the Arc in 2010, so it doesn’t rule him out by any means.
Auguste Rodin is one of the bigger prices also worth mentioning at 25/1 currently.
As a four-year-old, he’s not won over 1m4f since his Breeders’ Cup Turf, Derby and Irish Derby victories.
But his record of either running incredibly well or finishing out the back of the field is the bigger concern though and as one of those carrying the top-weight it’s hard to side with him.
Delius is another entry for France that could win for the home country.
He could certainly be up there in this race with his form behind Sosie, but would likely rely on a lesser run from that winner this time around.
Trainer Ralph Beckett has hit top form over the last few weeks and his filly Bluestocking is a 12/1 shot for the Arc.
She won over course and distance in September in the Prix Vermeille and went on well enough to suggest she might well have a say here.
With the softer ground clearly also being a big benefit, as she finished second at Ascot behind the gelding Goliath.
She beat Aventure well though last time out, despite carrying 8lb more than the filly, so clearly she will have to improve to beat the Juddmonte-owned horse.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe tips
Bluestocking 12/1 Each-way
Shin Emperor 6/1 Each-way
Tom Lunn’s Profit/Loss
August ’24: +34.88
From May ’24: +147.96pts
From July ’23: +360.52pts
All odds correct at time of writing
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