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Just A Way winnier of The Dubai Duty In March
15 individual G1 winners.
Between them this field has won 25 G1’s in the last two years. They’ve also been second 13 times and third 7 times at top level. Tells you the depth of the field. Just what you’d expect for the Arc, Europe’s middle distance absolute highlight.
Treve at the peak of her powers won the Prix Diane, Vermille and this last year. This year she’s been 2nd in The Ganay, 3rd in The Prince Of Wales’s and more worryingly 4th in the Vermille last time out. Are her powers gone?
John Gosden’s three year old Taghrooda, the Oaks and King George winner, tops the market. She was a run away winner of the Oaks and equally impressive at Ascot and the market seems to have forgiven her defeat at the hands of Tapestry (supplemented here) in the Yorkshire Oaks despite not having visited the racecourse since.
Ectot last years Criterium International winner, another three year old, will probably start favourite on the Pari Mutual. He beat Karakontie (subsequent Poulains winner) before a set back sidelined him until the Autumn. In his warm up he won the Prix Neil a shade lucky on Arc trails day (Adelaide 3rd, not a clear run).
The Japanese really want to win this race and a strong contingent travel in an attempt to go one better than Orfevre last year. They include Just A Way who in the last year has won the Tenno Sho (Autumn), The Dubai Duty Free and Yasuda Kinen. He looked a proper horse in the spring at Meyden when demolishing the field in the desert. He is supported by Gold Ship who won the Takarazuka Kinen this year and last and Harp Star the Japanese 1000 Guineas this year who beat Gold Ship last time out in the Sappora Kinen in a trail for this. It’s a strong contingent from the east.
Beside Ectot the home team hope to keep it on French soil with Avenir Certain who took the The Pouliches and Prix Diane this year. Like Treve last year she comes here unbeaten. They also have Flintshire the Grand Prix De Paris 2013 winner, Spritjim (disqualified after first past the post in the Grand Prix De Saint Cloud) and Prince Gibraltar, Dolniya, and Siljan’s Saga in the field.
Germany are looking to emulate the success of Danedream with this year’s representative Ivanhowe. He beat the ante post favourite Sea The Moon (retired through injury) in the Grosser Preis van Baden.
Ruler Of The World last year’s Epsom Derby winner looks to make Al Shaqab’s investment sharp thinking. He looked good in the Prix Foy and the quiet build up might bring him here the freshest of all. Similar Chiquita last years Irish Oaks winner, whose €6m price tag can look good value if she bags this after nearly a year off the track. She showed she retained her abilities when running second in the Blandford recently.
English hope Kingston Hill was the Racing Post Trophy winner last year and this year he took the Leger after a frustrating summer for connections where he was withdrawn from the Irish Derby and Eclipse because of the fast ground. He only found Australia too good at Epsom. He also may have benefitted from a light campaign.
Al Kazeem (supplemented) didn’t take to stud duties and try’s to add to last years Coral Eclipse, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Prince Of Wales’s. Roger Charlton says he’s nothing to lose in his second Arc attempt however he’s a lot to gain.
You can see from the quality of what this field has won to date that this is an open Arc. Treve could well bounce back to her scintillating best of last year. The step back up in trip could see Tapestry prevail over Taghrooda once again or this could be the year for Japan. In Just A Way they have a quality colt full of eastren promise who can finally nail that elusive Arc that Japanese breeders so crave.
Recommendation : Just A Way 8/1 win
Tricast Option : Combine : Just A Way, Treve, Tapestry and Ruler Of The World.