Good afternoon from Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne, where horses, owners, trainers and jockeys from around Europe and indeed the world are converging once again, as they do every autumn, for what is, quality-wise, our continent’s most significant and valuable day at the races.
Converging, what’s more, in distinctly un-autumnal weather, with no rain in the forecast, temperatures heading towards 25C and the officially “good to soft” ground drying all the time. It was probably, by British standards, riding somewhere close to good on Saturday, and by recent Arc standards, it is going to be freakishly quick by the time the field goes to post for the big race at 16.05 local time, and 15.05 in the UK.
And what a fascinating and competitive race we have in prospect. Some years, the Arc revolves around a single horse – Enable, for instance, or Treve, a decade ago – that is some way in front of the rest of them on form. Others are wide-open, with a host of Group One-winning horses that arrive on a similar level form-wise, and often coming face-to-face for the first time. This is very much an Arc in the second category, which, to my mind at least, is the best kind there is.
The Arc, a little oddly, is the third of the six Group One events on today’s schedule, when it feels like it should really be at the climax of the card. I think it’s something to do with the lottery-style “Tierce” race on the PMU being fixed at the same time every weekend, but I stand to be corrected. Regardless, the “second-string” events are very much championship races in their own right, and since it looks as though Europe may wrap up the Ryder Cup in record time this afternoon, bear in mind that there will still be Group One action in France until 17.00 BST.
That is also likely to be the best time to tune in if you are hoping to see Frankie Dettori ride a Group One winner on his final Arc afternoon at Longchamp. The retiring former champion has five rides in all on the card, including Free Wind, at around 16-1, in the big race, but Kinross, the very warm favourite for the Prix de la Foret, is very much the standout.
The early Arc betting with British bookies has Ace Impact, the unbeaten Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner, as clear favourite at around 3-1, with Hukum, the King George winner at Ascot in July, next best at 6-1. Westover, though, who was just a head behind Hukum at Ascot, is a little uneasy in the market, and out to 7-1 joint third-favourite with Continuous, the St Leger winner, perhaps because he is one of the few in the field that might prefer a bit more cut in the ground.
With two juvenile championships and the frantic five-furlong dash that is the Prix de l’Abbaye to look forward to as well, it is a card with something for everyone and you can follow all the news, views and Arc-day dramas right here on our live blog until the sun sets over the Bois de Boulogne.