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Coming Up: Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Weekend.
The 2022 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Weekend is only one week away. It is the feature meeting of the year presenting nine Group One races. Day One on Saturday includes the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran (4000m) for the stayers and the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu (2800m) for the fillies and mares. Sunday will see the greatest French race of them all – and frequently rated the best race of the year globally – the 2022 running of the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) while the backup card is incredibly strong with six other Group One contests.
It is only one week until all roads lead to Longchamp for the premier flat meeting of the season highlighted with the running of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. A further eight Group One races will also be held over the two-day Festival weekend.
As usual, there has been plenty of discussion and speculation as to who will run in the Arc, who will be supplemented, and who will choose to run in an alternative race. Predominantly dry weather is the long-range forecast with light rain mid-week. The weekend of the Arc is predicted to be fine, sunny with cloud and 20 degrees. This sounds like perfect weather conditions and a track good, good-to soft.
The Aidan O'Brien trained Luxembourg is the current favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1). He is a horse the stable has always held in high esteem. Earlier in his career he suffered an injury, recovered and last start lived up to his potential winning the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) over 2000m at Leopardstown two weeks ago. This was a strong, impressive win, and Luxembourg is a worthy favourite.
Two French horses ran second and third in that race and both will be in the Arc. Longchamp course and distance Grand Prix de Paris (G1) victor Onesto finished second and continues to be progressive as the weeks move on. With the three-year-old weight allowance he is a horse not to be dismissed. In 2020 Sottsass, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, finished fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes before winning the Arc three weeks later. This year the master trainer saddles Prix du Jockey Club (G1) winner Vadeni in the race where he finished third beaten 1.75L. He has won over 2100m in the Prix du Jockey Club but has yet to race further, however, on breeding the 2400m of the Arc should suit with his paternal grandsire being Galileo and maternal grandsire Monsun. His dam won to 2300m.
Japan has had plenty of attempts at winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and this year nominated multiple horses. Three entrants remain in the field – Titleholder, Do Deuce and Stay Foolish. Titleholder arrives with strong credentials having won all three races this season in Japan including two G1 races. His 7L win (a further 8L to third) in the Teno Sho (G1) over 3200m in May was breath-taking. He arrived in France last Friday. Do Deuce ran in the Prix Niel (G2) a fortnight ago however, after making a run, failed to go on in the last 100m to be beaten 3.75L. He will be better for the outing. Stay Foolish ran a solid race at Deauville finishing second in the Grand Prix de Deauville (G2) a month ago.
There are plenty of other contenders lining up for this years' Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
On the Saturday, recent Irish St Leger (G1) winner Kyprios is expected to be a short-priced favourite in the Prix du Cadran (G1) over the distance of 4000m. He won the Ascot Gold Cup (G1) this season, also a 4000m event.
The Prix de l'Abbaye (G1) is run on the sprint course of 1000m, down the middle of the Longchamp track. Highfield Princess has been the sprinting star of the 2022 season winning three Group One races in succession commencing with the Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) at Deauville in August and then faced the starter two weeks later scoring in the Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m) at York (UK), while completing the treble of elite races landing the Flying Five (1000m) at The Curragh in Ireland two weeks ago. Though not a confirmed runner, she currently heads ante betting markets.
