5.45pm Limato leaves rivals toiling in Prix de la Foret
Limato stormed clear in the hands of Harry Bentley to claim the Prix de la Foret. Runner-up in the seven-furlong Group One 12 months ago, Henry Candy’s stable star has run over a variety of distances this season.
After finishing fourth at a mile in the Lockinge at Newbury, the four-year-old dropped to six furlongs to run out a brilliant winner of Newmarket’s July Cup before finding Mecca’s Angel too strong over the minimum distance in the Nunthorpe at York.
He was a warm order to gain his second top-level success in the final race on Arc day and after travelling well throughout, the 8-11 favourite showed off his devastating turn of foot to secure an emphatic victory in the hands of Harry Bentley.
Front-running 40-1 shot Karar boxed on to finish second, with David O’Meara’s Suedois running his usual sold race in third. PA
5pm Prescott grabs Group One sprint-race glory with Marsha
Marsha claimed Group One glory for Sir Mark Prescott in the Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly.
Twice a winner at Listed level earlier in the year, the three-year-old filly was last seen finishing second to the reopposing Just Glamorous in a Group Three over this course and distance three weeks ago.
Just as he had that day, the Ron Harris-trained Just Glamorous attempted to make all the running, but he was a spent force heading inside the last of five furlongs as dual Nunthorpe heroine Mecca’s Angel and King’s Stand winner Profitable moved to the front.
That pair briefly looked like fighting out the finish, but the Elite Racing Club-owned Marsha (16-1) came from further back to beat both in the hands of Luke Morris.
Washington DC finished powerfully to beat Mecca’s Angel to the runner-up spot, with Profitable weakening out of contention. PA
3.16pm Aidan O’Brien trains first three in the Arc de Triomphe
Tony Paley: Found, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly. The trainer had the first three home, with Highland Reel second and Order Of St George third.
O’Brien said: “I’m so delighted for everyone. It’s a big team effort. It’s a privilege to be here and be part of it. How can you see anything higher [in his career] than this? I couldn’t dream this would happen. You know how difficult the Arc is.”
He went on: “She’s only run over a mile and a half four times before and she was unlucky in the Arc last year. Epsom [Coronation Cup] was also a falsely-run mile and a half, and we came here very hopeful after a good run last time.
“We’ve had our eye on this for a long time. When Ryan rode her as a two-year-old and said she could win an Arc - he was obviously right.”
Michael Tabor, part-owner of the winner, said: “I can’t believe, first, second and third in the Arc is unbelievable, words can’t describe it.”
He added of Found: “This is the time of year for her. We knew we had a chance, but this is the Arc and it’s a tough race. It’s unreal. She’s a hardy, tough filly. I don’t have to say anything because her results speak for themselves, so it’s fantastic.
“It’s the race that all of America watches and obviously Europe does, too, so the whole world is watching. It’s a special race to say the least.”
Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf heroine arrived in Paris having filled the runner-up spot in five consecutive Group One events, most recently chasing home Almanzor in last month’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Unlucky in running 12 months ago, the 6-1 chance was always well positioned by Moore and was angled off the rail to mount her challenge in the straight.
Found quickened brilliantly heading inside the final two furlongs to claim the pace-setting Vedevani and never looked like being caught, keeping up the gallop for an emphatic success.
Highland Reel, winner of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot during the summer, took second spot under Seamie Heffernan. Gold Cup hero Order Of St George rounded off the Ballydoyle-dominated finish in third for Frankie Dettori.
Roger Varian’s Postponed was the 15-8 favourite to continue his unbeaten campaign, but while he travelled well into the straight alongside Found, he could not pick up and was ultimately well-beaten. Big Japanese hope Makahiki never threatened, while dual Derby hero Harzand could not get in a blow.
Varian said of the beaten Postponed, who had to settle for fifth: “Andrea [Atzeni] said he felt great going to the post, but after breaking well he was trapped three wide early on and couldn’t get in. It meant he met the big bend on the wrong lead and then he didn’t quicken up like he can.
“It’s a feeling of disappointment as we went in hoping we would win, but the main thing is we still have a horse to go to war with and we can take him home and see how he comes out of it.”
2.55pm Guardian tipster selects 50-1 shot Savoir Vivre for Arc
Tony Paley: The Guardian’s regular tipster, Chris Cook, has selected the outsider Savoir Vivre for the Arc, which is off at 3.05pm. Cook posted his tip on Twitter, after outlining his reason on the Sunday Forum on At The Races earlier today.
2.40pm Speedy shows So Mi Dar and co clean pair of heels
Tony Paley: Frederik Tylicki recorded his most significant victory when steering the James Fanshawe-trained Speedy Boarding to victory in the Prix de l’Opera.
Winner of the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on her latest appearance, Speedy Boarding was sent on her way at 11-2 to gain her second successive Group One success, with the market dominated by the John Gosden-trained So Mi Dar.
Pleascach was in the lead rounding the home turn, but was soon pressed by Speedy Boarding and the pair engaged in a pulsating duel. All the while Frankie Dettori had to sit and suffer on the rail as he waited for the gap to come aboard So Mi Dar and when it did, his mount took a stride or two to fully engage top gear.
It was too late as the front pair were clear and as they flashed by the post, it was Speedy Boarding who had her nose in front. Pleascach ran a fantastic race after a 386-day absence, with supporters of So Mi Dar perhaps wondering what might have been.
A glorious retirement now appears on the cards for the winner, with Fanshawe saying: “She’ll probably go to stud now. Ascot will come too soon for her and this will be her final year.”
Fanshawe added: “It was a brilliant race and there didn’t deserve to be a loser. She’s so tough and has been a wonderful filly for the yard. She raised her game again after the Romanet and really battled.”
Bolger said of the Godolphin-owned Pleascach: “She has run extremely well and might not be finished for the season. Let’s see what Sheikh Mohammed wants to do because I go in the same direction as he does.”
Gosden indicated So Mi Dar could have another run this season and it was being reported that she would head for the Filly & Mares Turf race at the Breeders’ Cup.
He said: “She got knocked back early in the race and got out to make her run late and it was too late. Let’s see how she is and then make a plan.”
Her owner Lady Lloyd Webber added: “She loved the ground, but was all over the place and got in a terrible muddle. It just shows how hard Group Ones are to win.”
2pm National Defense battles home for Lagardere victory
Tony Paley: Trainer Criquette Head-Maarek ended a long run without a victory at Group One level when National Defense ran away with the Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere.
Jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot sent his mount into an early lead and never looked like relinquishing in the straight, quickening up to leave his rivals trailing in his wake.
The sole British representative, Sylvester Kirk’s Salouen, ran an excellent race to fill the runner-up spot. Aidan O’Brien’s Whitecliffsofdover was third, but his stable companion Utah was well-beaten.
Head-Maarek has endured a tough time with her yard this season and was delighted to be back at the top on Arc day, a meeting at which she enjoyed so much success with the mighty Treve.
She said: “We have had a terrible year as the horses were sick for a long time. But they are coming back to themselves now and we knew this one had a good chance. He has a huge action and he likes to gallop. He could be a Guineas horse.”
Kirk, though, was left frustrated, despite the big run of Salouen. He said: “Unless I’m reading it wrong the winner’s got into a soft lead and set his own fractions and stolen a march on them. I’m disappointed because I came here expecting my colt to win. He’s in the Racing Post Trophy but has had a long old season, so we’ll have to see.”
1.30pm Godolphin and Buick bag Boussac with Wuheida
Tony Paley: Wuheida is a best-priced 12-1 for next year’s 1,000 Guineas after her victory in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac, the opening race at Chantilly on the Arc de Triomphe card. But Charlie Appleby, who trains the Godolphin-owned filly, warned that she is more likely to be suited by the demands of the 12-furlong Oaks at Epsom.
“I’ve always thought Wuheida was an Oaks filly and she’ll be better over further,” the Newmarket handler told At The Races after the William Buick-ridden juvenile had won at odds of 9-1 on the PMU (French Tote).
John Gosden’s Dabyah, also a winner on her Newmarket debut before an impressive display at Newbury, took the field along for much of the one-mile journey under Frankie Dettori, but Wuheida, who had raced only once previously when successful at Newmarket, tracked her every move.
Dabyah briefly looked to have cut loose after kicking a couple of lengths clear in the straight, but Wuheida stuck to her task and got up to score decisively. Aidan O’Brien’s Promise To Be True came home well to narrowly beat Dabyah to the runner-up spot.
Appleby added: “We did not expect her to win like that, but we knew stepping up to a mile was the way forward. It’s Dubawi’s first Group One winner as a two-year-old, so that’s such a nice feather in the cap.
“It was a fantastic ride by William. We thought Frankie would be on the front end and try to dictate [on Dabyah], so we were always going to be positive.”
O’Brien said: “She’s still a bit of a baby, but she’s run very well. My first reaction is not to take her to the Breeders’ Cup and to leave her and wait for next year.”
Gosden felt Dabyah failed to stay the mile trip. He said: “A great run, but she was quite keen from that draw and she has got the seven and a half but not the mile. Making so much use of her just told in the end and we will call it a draw for the year.”
Sunday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The Gare Du Nord is never going to be the smartest spot in Paris, but it did look rather splendid at around 10 o’clock this morning as a finery decked crowd of 40,000 people started to make its way to Chantilly, the temporary home of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Those among them who have never been to Chantilly - and when it comes to the travelling fans at least, that is probably the overwhelming majority - are in for a treat.
Few ever forget their first sight of the magnificent chateau which sit alongside the course. It looks good on TV, but even better when you can appreciate its true scale and elegance. And while the course itself is much smaller than Longchamp, and will be creaking at the seams somewhat with 40,000 people inside it, I suspect that at least a few of the annual visitors will miss it when the Arc returns to its traditional home at Longchamp in 2018.
The next two years will certainly be a wonderful advertisement for Chantilly, which is the French equivalent of Newmarket but so thickly wooded once you are outside the small town centre that most trainers rarely see a horse other than their own in the morning. Quite a contrast to the equine Piccadilly Circus of Newmarket’s Warren Hill at dawn.
There is a great deal to look forward to on a card with six Group One events, but the Arc is, inevitably, at the forefront of all considerations. My money will be on Makahiki (3.05) to finally give Japan its first Arc winner, and the reception if he does so will be truly memorable. There is a real buzz around the track already and several thousand Japanese fans have made what is now, for many, an annual trip to France in the hope that one of their runners will cross the line in front.
The two juvenile events are at the top of the card, which kicks off with the Prix Marcel Boussac, but it has to be said that neither the Boussac nor the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, formerly known as the Grand Criterium, appears to have attracted an outstanding field this year. Toulifaut (1.10), a son of Frankel trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, could give the greatest racehorse of recent decades his first Group One winner in the former event, while Kontrastat (1.45) is going to be tough to beat in the Lagardere.
So Mi Dar (3.20) would have been an interesting runner in the Arc given the record of three-year-old fillies in the race in recent years, and she should have too much for her opponents in the Prix de l’Opera. Mecca’s Angel is clear on the ratings for the Prix de l’Abbaye but it is possible that Just Glamorous (4.35) will be able to repeat his win in a trial here three weeks ago to give Ron Harris a Group One winner, while Limato (5.15) is a very solid favourite for the last race on the card, the Prix de la Foret.
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