BIG RACE PREVIEW: We look ahead to the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday. The traditional clash of the generations looks a race to savour – where do the form and stats clues point?
Top Class Arc One To Savour
Race Summary
The clash of the generations sees a race for the ages in Sunday’s Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe at Longchamp. The best middle distance three-year-olds (save for St Mark’s Basilica) in Europe will be on parade together with equine superstars from the older generations. It looks a race to savour.
There has been a very good case to be made to say that Charlie Appleby trains the two best middle distance three-year-olds in Europe as between them Adayar and Hurricane Lane have won the Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Irish Derby and St Leger! In Adayar, he has a horse who can rightly claim to be one of the great Derby winners if he strides to glory in Paris and he could well do so. His Epsom form reads really well in the context of it being the only race that Hurricane Lane has ever been beaten in and he backed it up in no uncertain terms when beating Mishriff and Love in a King George that was top class according to the clock. He is also versatile ground wise and he should handle the forecast soft conditions. He seems sure to go well.
Hurricane Lane will welcome any cut underfoot and he was very impressive just three weeks ago in the St Leger at Doncaster where he beat Mojo Star by a comfortable two and three quarter lengths. For good measure he also won over the course and distance when taking the Grand Prix De Paris at Longchamp in very soft ground in July and he is a big player.
Snowfall ran to a time figure that was almost identical to that which Adayar produced when winning the Derby, when she took the Epsom Oaks by 16 lengths in June. Subsequent victories in the Irish and Yorkshire equivalents followed however she blotted her copybook a little at Longchamp three weeks ago when she suffered a shock defeat to Teona in the Prix Vermeille. She is right in the mix here getting the allowances however that defeat does leave some questions to answer.
The older generation is principally represented by mares and fillies with Tarnawa and Chrono Genesis being top class operators. Following her stellar season last year where she carried all before her, Tarnawa has looked just as good this season. However she had a hard enough race in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown three weeks ago when going down by three quarters of a length to St Mark’s Basilica and could that literally leave a mark? The Japanese mare Chrono Genesis is top class having amassed earnings of £7.7m in her career but will she handle the soft ground?
It is difficult to suggest a winner amongst such a stellar field but given the likely conditions and the preparation of both horses, then Adayar and Hurricane Lane could hold the key to the race and it may be that Charlie Appleby will be standing on the winners rostrum come 3.15pm on Sunday.
