Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Day is finally upon us, and what a day it promises to be.
Six Group 1s headlined by the main race itself is what dreams are made of, and plenty of the Group 1s on offer make for good betting heats.
Just quickly, yesterday wasn’t a great day. Inspiral ran her heart out to finish second in the Sun Chariot and Queen Of Soldiers travelled like the winner before fading.
Talk about travelling, promising plenty, and finding nothing.
Queen Of Soldiers providing a nice anti-climax to begin the day. https://t.co/9qq1YmjFaq
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) October 5, 2024
Unfortunately, travelling like the winner doesn’t equate to money returning to the wallet, so I’ll have to turn my excuses into better decisions. My apologies.
Anyway, let’s roll on.
1:30 Longchamp – Rashabar @ 7/2 with BetVictor – 1pt Win
Rashabar is a much shorter price than his winning SP (80/1) for the Coventry Stakes earlier this year, but 7/2 looks more than fair here.
Starting with that Royal Ascot win, four horses have come out of the contest and subsequently won stakes races, so the form looks solid.
The tighest of finishes but @loughnane_billy has done it!
Rashabar wins the Coventry Stakes from a huge 80-1#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/ZONEmlQD1r
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 18, 2024
Furthermore, he showed a great attitude to stay on behind Whistlejacket in the Group 1 Prix Morny from the outside of the field, a race that looks like another solid piece of form as both the first and third have placed in separate Group 1s since.
There’s a lot to like about him here, and with a pedigree of Holy Roman Emperor out of a Camelot mare, he should stay seven furlongs.
3:20 Longchamp (The Arc) – Shin Emperor @ 7/1 & Al Riffa @ 9/1 with William Hill (4 places) – 1pt Win Each
Could Japan win their first-ever Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe? I think so, whether it’s through a Japanese trainer or owner.
Starting with my main selection, Shin Emperor, his run in the Irish Champion Stakes is there for all to see.
The performance was huge, especially when you consider that his route through was partially blocked.
The Irish Champion Stakes has so many good formlines in it with Economics and Auguste Rodin as well as the City Of Troy formline thanks to Ghostwriter.
SHIN EMPEROR シンエンペラー more interested in some 🌱 and the 📸 for his final workout before the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe… 😎#QPAT | #シンエンペラー | #競馬 pic.twitter.com/qo5lYJgs0P
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) October 4, 2024
Furthermore, he is a full brother to the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass, so I’m not too worried if the ground is riding on the slightly slow side of good.
As for Al Riffa, although Johnny Dineen gives him no chance, I think there are upsides to him.
🏇 #TheMorningPost with @WillHillRacing
⏰ 3.20pm Sunday
🏇 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Group 1)“I wouldn’t back that at 600-1” 😱@JohnnyDineen gives his verdict on the big race 🇫🇷🏆
18+ #GambleAware #Ad pic.twitter.com/ocHbFnnN3N
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) October 5, 2024
The form of the Coral-Eclipse with City Of Troy, Ghostwriter, and See The Fire looks good and he even ran into last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano.
Although his last run in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin was a penalty kick, the third, Best Of Lips, won a Group 3 on his next start to give the form a little bit of substance.
With ground versatility on his side, he deserves respect.
4:05 Longchamp – Friendly Soul @ 17/2 with William Hill (3 places) – 1.5pts EW
On Saturday’s Only Fools Love Horses Saturday Live and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe preview (released on Wednesday), I waxed lyrical about Friendly Soul for the Prix de l’Opera.
She’s held her price nicely at 17/2 and this is a race John Gosden highlighted immediately after her nice victory in the Group 2 Prix Alec Head in August.
The form of her win in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes in May looks good as the second, Kalpana, went on to win the Listed Glasgow Stakes and Group 3 September Stakes.
These two pull a LONG way clear… 👀
FRIENDLY SOUL denies the odds-on favourite on just her second start for Kieran Shoemark and John & Thady Gosden in the William Hill Pretty Polly Stakes pic.twitter.com/OFu3RmuO3N
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 5, 2024
Two starts later, Friendly Soul won the Group 3 Valiant Stakes, a race that has seen Soprano (4th) and Sirona (6th) go on to frank the form.
The former won a Group 3 on her next start before placing in the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes and the latter won the Listed Rosemary Stakes recently.
By Kingman, she is related to six black-type horses, notably the Group 1 winners With You, Call The Wind, and We Are.
She is the NAP of the weekend.
4:40 Longchamp – Ramateuelle @ 3/1 with Bet365 – 1pt Win
Finally, the Prix de la Foret looks like a race Ramateuelle can impress in, and her form got a nice boost yesterday.
She looked like the winner for 90% of the 1000 Guineas earlier this year before fading at the last moment to finish third. Arguably, Aurelien Lemaitre kicked for home too soon which saw her become a sitting duck late on.
That race is working out well as Porta Fortuna and Tamfana have gone on to frank the form at Group 1 level, most recently in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Sun Chariot respectively.
It's a blowout in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, ELMALKA wins at 28/1! 😮
Tony Parker's Ramatuelle gave a bold sight but lost it in the final strides and its success instead of Silvestre De Sousa & Roger Varian pic.twitter.com/zt4Bgssa0Q
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 5, 2024
Fallen Angel and See The Fire, who probably both underperformed at Newmarket, went on to Group 1 and Group 3 success subsequently to further boost the race’s form.
This daughter of Justify has plenty of speed under the bonnet as she is a winner over six furlongs, so the return to seven furlongs is no worry.
If the ground quickens up, she has a pedigree to suggest that’ll suit her, though she also has plenty of form on good to soft.
I’m hoping she is raring to go after 107 days away as she could blow this race apart.
