A total of 19 horses remain in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Paris Longchamp following Monday’s first forfeit stage.
DARYZ, last year’s Arc winner when edging the filly Minnie Hauk, will try to add his name to the illustrious list of horses to win back-to-back Arcs this Sunday, October 4, and he is currently the early favourite with the bookmakers.
The four-year-old by Sea the Stars (Ire) has won eight of 11 races for Aga Khan Studs and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. This season the grey has won the Group 1 Prix Ganay and Prix d’Ispahan and most recently the Prix Foy (G2). His main competition in the Arc will be from the three-year-olds such as the William Haggas-trained Maltese Cross, who was runner-up in the Derby and won the Grand Prix de Paris over the Arc course and distance.
Graffard and the Aga Khan Studs have an interesting second string to their bow in the shape of Prix Niel scorer Varandir, whose only defeat to date came in the Grand Prix de Paris, for which he was favourite.
Joseph O’Brien’s Oaks winner Thundering On, a daughter of Frankel with a devilish turn of foot, is a popular pick for the Arc.
Kalpana, trained by Andrew Balding, is a 5-year-old mare who won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at ascot over Callandagan this year. Bay City Roller was second to Daryz in the Prix Foy and previously won the Coronation Cup (G1) by 10 lengths.
Remaining entries for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Horse / Trainer
Daryz, Francis Graffard
Saddadd, Roger Varian
Chestnut Rocket, Alicja Karkosa
Admire Terra, Yasuo Tomomichi
Meisho Tabaru, Mamoru Ishibashi
Arrow Eagle, Jean-Claude Rouget
Bay City Roller, George Scott
Tattycoram, Ralph Beckett
Light The Ghost, Josephine Soudan
Minnie Hauk, Aidan O’Brien
Kalpana, Andrew Balding
Sunly, Francis Graffard
Varandir, Francis Graffard
Benvenuto Cellini, Aidan O’Brien
Pearled Majesty, Mauricio Delcher Sanchez
Bright Light, Andreas Suborics
Maltese Cross, William Haggas
Thundering On, Joseph O’Brien
Diamond Necklace, Aidan O’Brien
More News
