Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1)

Luxemburg after winning the Irish Champion Stakes

The Irish Champion Stakes is becoming the key trial for the Arc in the last few years.

Sottsass ran fourth in it prior to winning the Arc in 2020 and last year Tarnawa who ran second to St Mark’s Basilica filled the same spot in Paris. This year’s winner, Luxemburg will go off favourite on the back of his win.

He will be opposed again by Onesta, Vadeni, Mishriff, Alenquer and Broome who were all behind him at Leopardstown.

*Broome in the pre-parade ring at Leopardstown*

Broome will likely be given the task of the pacemaker. A G1 winner in France last year on soft ground when he took the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, his best run thereafter came in the Breeders Cup Turf when just beaten a ½L by Yibir. He finished last at Leopardstown when given the task of chasing down Stone Age the pacemaker weakening 2f out.

*Alenquer in the pre-parade ring at Leopardstown*

Alenquer, a G1 winner at the Curragh in May when he took the Tattersalls Gold Cup, may benefit from a return to a 1m4f trip. He will also like the ground. Ninth last year in this he only managed to beat Broome home at Leopardstown.

John and Thady Gosden’s Mishriff is a multiple G1 winner, He’s won Prix du Jockey Club, Saudi Cup, Shemma Classic and Juddmonte International however he hasn’t won in the last six outings finishing fourth at the Leopardstown.

*Vadeni entering the ring at Leopardstown*

Vadeni was a scintillating winner of this year’s Prix du Jockey Club in June adding the Coral-Eclipse to his CV in July coming from last to first to collar Mishriff. He went off favourite at Leopardstown but could only run third. Christophe Soumillion gambled late going up the inside for a run that wasn’t there.

Onesta was a little unlucky in the Prix du Jockey Club, missing the break, he was at the back and did well to make up ground to finish fifth. He then scored in the Grand Prix de Paris over this course and distance in July. He finished second at Leopardstown running a really good race making headway from the 3f marker to get into a battle for the lead in the final furlong.

Luxemburg in the pre-parade ring at Leopardstown

Luxemburg, third in the Guineas, a really good run considering he stumbled out of the stalls, missed the Derby through injury. His comeback in the Royal Whip looked workmanlike when just holding off Insinuendo. That run was actually a lot better than it initially looked, Insinuendo ran a cracker when just held in the Blandford by Above The Curve at the Curragh on the second day of Champions Weekend. The fact that he was off the track for so long and coming back from injury meant there was a lot of fitness to be worked on. At Leopardstown, he stripped fitter and his attitude in the battle with Onesta coming up the straight was admirable. He was always holding him.

While others will have strong claims, Apinista, Titleholder, and last year’s winner Torquator Tasso are all in the mix, it is the Irish Champion Stakes that has produced the best form and is, therefore, the key trial. There’s every possibility we will have a repeat of the Leopardstown battle up the Lonchamp straight. If so the result will be the same.