Jordan McCarthy previews this weekend’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
With a first prize of £2,229,854 it is no surprise that the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious races. Europe’s premier race has again attracted a big field and this year it looks like it could be a vintage renewal.
Orfevre currently heads the betting. He finished second last year after idling when in the lead. It will be a tough ask of the horse to come back from that and bookmakers are out to get the Japanese raider.
Treve looks to be a very smart filly. She has been well drawn and the weight allowance she is getting is very attractive indeed. She has performed very well so far this season and clearly Criquette Head-Maarek has a serious horse on her hands. She is the one they will all have to beat.
Novelist looks like a very serious contender. The son of Monsun was a very good winner of the King George earlier on in the season when he smashed the course record at Ascot. In terms of ground, he looks very versatile. People questioned his performance last time out at Baden-Baden, but the horse won and it didn’t look like it was a complete struggle.
The Arc went the way of Germany in 2011, when King George heroine Danedream triumphed under Andrasch Starke. German racing has certainly grabbed the headlines over recent seasons. The prize money in Germany is poor to say the least but their horses and racing personnel are very highly regarded.
It is no wonder that German horses have been brought to Britain on several occasions this season to mop up some black type races. We may not be experiencing a ‘German revolution’ in horse racing like we have done in football but German horses are certainly mopping up big races in recent years. Novelist could add another on Sunday.
As for the rest of the opposition, Al Kazeem has been given a very poor draw. Kizuna, the Japanese Derby winner and winner of a Group 2 at Longchamp last month. is quietly fancied.
Ballydoyle will be double-handed in the race. Ruler of the World is the English Derby winner and was impressive at Longchamp last time out. Leading Light has been supplemented at a staggering £100,000 and will be ridden by Gerald Mosse. The St Leger winner will get the trip and deserves respect.
However, Ruler of the World is still relatively unexposed and could have a big race in him. The Derby form is patchy yet this horse ran well to finish a close second at Longchamp last time out. He is impeccably bred and it will be interesting to see how he fares in a strongly run race. He has been given a good draw and also has been given a vote of confidence by Ryan Moore. At 14/1 he looks a cracking each way bet.
With seven Group One races on the card, it promises to be a terrific day of racing. It would be quite a story if Johnny Murtagh could land the spoils aboard Novelist. German football clubs have rocked Europe this year. A German colt could be about to do the same thing on Sunday in Paris.
Selection: Novelist
Sport Is Everything. Jordan McCarthy.