THE subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero has taken part in Arc Trials Day just once in the last eight years and it would be no surprise should that statistic become even starker come October 6th.
Many of the winners at last Sunday’s 2024 ParisLongchamp renewal of Trials Day are not even entered in the big event that they were supposed to be preparing for in two weeks’ time.
Bookmakers have installed Sosie, the comprehensive victor of the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel, as favourite for the big one in a fortnight’s time, but I remain unconvinced about the quality of this year’s classic generation – if a three-year old is to collect the trophy, my best guess would be that he appeared at Leopardstown on Saturday (Shin Emperor) rather than in ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
Qatar Prix Vermeille (Group 1)
THE highest quality ‘Arc Trial’, which featured the deepest field, was run at the strongest pace and in the fastest time, was the Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille for fillies and mares.
It was still not run at a breakneck gallop, hence those prominent rounding the final turn fought out the finish, but it was enough of a test for Bluestocking’s superior stamina to shine through and allow this four-year-old Camelot filly to rally back past Aventure having been headed at the furlong marker.
Ralph Beckett’s Juddmonte home-bred went on to defeat the cream of the French three-year-old female crop by three-quarters of a length with another British raider, the mare Emily Upjohn, only half a length further back in third.
There was then a big gap of three lengths to Stay Alert in fourth with both Aidan O’Brien’s Opera Singer and the Prix de Diane winner, Sparkling Plenty, failing to allay doubts about this longer trip in finishing fifth and sixth and the second Irish challenger, the Jessica Harrington-trained Sea The Boss, predictably outclassed in 10th.
This was another laudable performance from Bluestocking, who was notching her second top level success of the campaign having three times come up shy in the best company last season.
However, she has also had her limitations exposed of late in both the Juddmonte International and, to a lesser extent, when second in the King George.
“What courage!” Beckett exclaimed afterwards. “She looked beaten a furlong out but she is just very tough. She has been working exceptionally well and, despite my doubts, she proved today that she likes Longchamp.”
“She’s entered in the fillies’ and mares’ race on Champions Day in which she was beaten last year but, after that, and presuming her owners agree, I’d be sorely tempted to supplement her for the Arc.
“Soft ground helps her but she goes on anything other than firm. Westover’s performance last year in finishing second was probably good enough to have won an average Arc and it would be nice to have another go.”
Credit
Some of the credit for the victory should go down to 24-year-old Galway-born jockey Rossa Ryan, who was concerned about Bluestocking getting outspeeded in a falsely-run race and was brave enough to kick for home with fully three furlongs to run. He was rewarded with the third Group 1 success of his career.
ALL eyes were on the unbeaten Prix de Jockey Club winner, Look De Vega, in the Prix Niel, and the only conclusion that could be drawn after his heavy defeat, narrowly avoiding the ignominy of finishing fourth of the five runners, was that this Lope De Vega colt is not as good as he suggested at Chantilly in June.
Sure, he looked burly, blew post-race and his trainers, Carlos and Yann Lerner, were insistent afterwards that he would come on in leaps and bounds for this first start in over three months.
Yet the scale of this setback – Sosie, two and a quarter-lengths behind when third in the Jockey Club, was three and a half lengths in front here and even the runner-up, Delius, was two lengths ahead - was such that it is hard to see him reversing placings in the Arc.
Just how good is Sosie? An Andre Fabre-trained son of Sea The Stars, he is improving all the time, loves ParisLongchamp, and the form of his victory in the Grand Prix de Paris has held up: the two-length runner-up, Illinois, has finished much closer in second in his two starts since, and fourth-placed Tamfana has won.
Yet he is unconvincing as an Arc favourite: he just seems to lack the star quality usually required to win Europe’s biggest race.
Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager to his owner-breeders was delighted, nevertheless, saying: “Maxime [Guyon, his rider] never had a moment’s worry and this horse is only now reaching physical maturity.
“He’s also very calm, which is such an asset in the big races. It makes sense to allow him to take his chance in the Arc after that performance.”
THE only Arc clues emanating from Sunday’s final course and distance trial, the Qatar Prix Foy, were negative ones.
The Ballydoyle hope, Continuous, was allowed an uncontested lead and, on the back of a recent win and his having missed out on fourth place in last year’s Arc by just a neck, was sent off the odds-on favourite in a field of five.
While he laboured home in third place, at least he actually made it to the winning post – last year’s Grand Prix de Paris hero Feed The Flame was lame behind when pulling up over a furlong out.
The finish was fought out by two geldings, who are thus ineligible for the Arc. Iresine came out on top to register a highly popular victory by a short neck, though the runner-up, Zarir, might have got past had he not been boxed in against the rail early in the home straight.
The six-year-old Iresine, who is the apple of the eye of both his trainer, Jean-Pierre Gauvin, and jockey, Marie Velon, was running in the Foy for the fourth consecutive year and was adding a second victory to a previous second and a third.
“He’s been much easier to train this year than last, when he had some health problems, although the cold spring meant that we didn’t get him going until very late,” Gauvin said.
“The Champion Stakes remains a possible target for him, but he loves it here so, if it doesn’t rain enough in England, he can always come back for the Prix du Conseil de Paris.”
THE day’s other big ‘trial’ races were both Group 3s – the Prix du Pin over the same track and trip as the Prix de la Foret and the Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert, which provides a dry run for the Prix de l’Abbaye.
Christopher Head’s Wootton Bassett five-year-old Topgear proved half a length too good for the Ed Walker-trained Ten Bob Tony in the Pin but is not yet engaged in the Foret so may not renew rivalry with his nearest pursuer, who is entered, on Arc Day.
Impossible to predict
With Bradsell the honourable exception, the top sprints have been nigh on impossible to predict this season.
Even by 2024 standards, the result of the Petit Couvert was hard to explain, as the Belgian-trained nine-year-old gelding Pradaro scrambled home by two short heads and a nose.
Sent off a 54/1 chance on the back of a defeat in a minor race at La Teste last month, the winner will be giving the Abbaye a swerve and targeting a listed race in Italy instead!
THERE was an Irish winner in Paris last weekend, but the victory came over hurdles at Auteuil on Saturday rather than across the road at ParisLongchamp 24 hours later.
More than four years on from leaving France to join Willie Mullins, February’s Grade 2 Red Mills Chase victor Saint Sam made it two wins from two since switching back to the smaller obstacles and pocketed the €29,095 first prize on offer in the two miles and two furlongs Prix Orleanais.
Ridden by Paul Townend, he forced the pace from the start and, having been joined by Gallipoli at the final flight, outbattled that adversary to score by a length.