IN Britain and Ireland the greatest races on the flat (historically) are the Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Irish Derby.

Many great champions have won these races but. in truth, the greatest race of the year is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which brings out all the best middle-distance horses at the end of the racing season.

Ireland has won the great race eight times between 1958 and 2016 – Ballymoss (1958), Levmoss (1969); Alleged (1977/78); Sinndar (2000); Dylan Thomas (2007); Sea The Stars (2009), and Found (2016) – with just four trainers involved.

Ballymoss was the first horse to win the Prix de l’Arc for Ireland and he was also the first Irish-trained horse to win the St Leger in 1957. He won eight of his 17 races including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

He hated soft ground and in the Derby he was priced from 33/1 to 100/1 by some bookies. Peter O’Sullevan, the great commentator, famously backed him each-way on Vincent O’Brien’s advice. He was second in a field of 22 runners and was only collared in the final stages by Noel Murless’ favourite Crepello, ridden by Lester Piggott.

Ballymoss went on to win the Irish Derby that year and in 1958 won the Coronation Cup and the Eclipse Stakes to show he was a very high-class horse. In October 1958 he was sent to Paris for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Starting at around 4/1, he went into the lead early in the straight and won easily by two lengths from Fric. In his final race he ran in the Washington D.C. International but didn’t like the tight turns and was beaten into third place, three and a half lengths behind Tudor Era (he was promoted to second place after the winner was disqualified).

OUT-AND-OUT STAYER

Levmoss is a horse remembered by many during his career from 1967-69. He was owned, trained, and bred by Seamus McGrath (his sire was McGrath’s Le Levanstell). He was considered an out-and-out stayer, winning races in 1969 like the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Prix du Cadran in France.

After winning a handicap in Ireland carrying 10st 10lbs, he was entered for the Arc against high-class horses like Park Top, Blakeney and Prince Regent.

Ridden by Bill Williamson, he outstayed Park Top to win by three quarters of a length at odds over 50/1.

The two horses very often deemed to be the best he trained by the great Vincent O’Brien were Sir Ivor and Nijinsky, but both were beaten into second place in the Arc, the former by the Westmeath-bred horse Vaguely Noble and the latter by Sassafras after a poor ride by Lester Piggott (as stated by Vincent O’Brien).

Alleged (by Hoist The Flag) won the big race two years in a row for Robert Sangster’s syndicate and Vincent O’Brien but (oddly) is not considered the best horse that he trained.

He was brought on very slowly, winning a few small races in Ireland before adding the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

He was sent off favourite for the St Leger but, famously, was beaten by the Queen Elizabeth’s horse Dunfermline. In the Arc, Alleged turned around the result, as Piggott brilliantly dictated the pace to lead all the way, beating New Zealand horse Balmerino.

He was the European Horse of the Year and it was decided to keep him in training for the following year. After an early season win he jarred himself and did not run until two weeks before the Arc, when he won in France.

TRUE CHAMPION

On his second attempt in the big race he sat in behind Freddie Head’s mount Dancing Maid before accelerating in the closing stages to beat Trillion and show that he was a true champion. He was the first horse since Ribot in 1955/56 to win the race two years in a row.

The John Oxx-trained Sinndar (by Grand Lodge) ran as a three-year-old in 2000 and in his career he won seven of his eight races. On his debut he defeated future Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle and then won the Group 1 National Stakes for two-year-olds.

His unique achievement was to win the Derby, Irish Derby, and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the same year, as a three-year-old. (Horses like Nijinsky, Troy and High Chaparral failed to do it). He was ridden in all his races by Johnny Murtagh.

He was second favourite at 6/4 behind Montjeu, at 4/5, for the Arc. In the race, Montjeu failed to produce his turn of foot and after taking up the running from his pacemaker Raypour, Sinndar won easily by a length and a half. As Murtagh said afterwards “No horse can get by him, he’s unbeatable.” It was a great success for John Oxx. Even better was to come.

Dylan Thomas (raced 2005-2007) was Aidan O’Brien’s first winner of the Arc in 2007 and is sometimes a forgotten horse until you look at his exceptional record.

He won the Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes in 2006, as well as finishing third in the Derby. In 2007 he won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a second Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Kieran Fallon described him as the best horse he ever rode. In the Arc, they swerved right near the finish leading to a stewards’ enquiry but he held on to the race.

ONE OF THE GREATS

Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross) was described by his jockey Michael Kinane “as one of the greats.” If anyone doubts it you only have to look at the six Group 1s he won in six months: the 2000 Guineas, Derby, Coral Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

These wins took place between one and one and a half miles, against horses who specialised in specific distances. In amassing these wins he defeated many top-class Aidan O’Brien challengers, from Fame And Glory to Mastercraftsman.

The moment that defined Sea The Stars as one of the best horses ever came when he was trapped on the rails in the Arc coming up the straight, a position which had previously cost many horses the race.

Kinane waited and, in a split second, he shot through the gap that appeared to defeat Youmzain by two lengths. He was crowned European Champion Horse of the Year.

The latest Irish winner of the Arc is Coolmore’s Found, who was wonderfully consistent and busy throughout her career without looking like a champion. In winning the Arc, she posted the fastest time ever in the race, 2m 23 seconds.

She had finished second in no less than nine Group 1s before capturing the big one in 2016, when ridden by Ryan Moore. In the race itself, she defeated her stable companions Highland Reel and Order Of St George.

As we prepare for this year’s big race, with Kew Gardens and Capri leading the Irish challenge, could there be another Irish victory to match some of the greats of the past?