The Mandarin’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Racecard Selections for Sunday 6th October 2024

The Mandarin’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Racecard Selections for Sunday 6th October

Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (Group 1) (Fillies) 12.55
Zarigana
Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zarigana is all the rage to take this Fillies’ Group One. She’s bred in the purple, being a grand daughter to Zarkava, who landed this race in 2007 in front of the Juddmonte owned Conference Call, and that second win of her Juvenile year set her up nicely for an unbeaten 2008 season, finishing her career with a perfect form book with victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Zarigana looks in every way just as exciting, and probably has too much pace for Aidan O’Brien’s Bedtime Story and Ollie Sangsters Simering. First blood to France on Arc day.

Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Group 1) 1.30
Henri Matisse
The second of the Group Ones can go to Ireland with Aidan O’Brien’s Henri Matisse, who only found Scorthy Champ too good in the National Stakes at The Curragh last month. This Wootton Bassett colt had been unbeaten in three starts before that Group One assignment, and only went down by three-quarters of a length to Joseph O’Brien’s winner, but with a cleaner break from the stalls can make his presence felt. Raced solely on good ground at Headquarters, this will be a new experience, but Ryan Moore is in the saddle to get the job done. John & Thady Gosdens’ Field Of Gold has been well supported in the ante-post markets, so gets a mention, while home hopes Misunderstood and Houquetot are decent each-way chances.

Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) 2.05
Bradsell (nap)
Archie Watson’s Bradsell has returned an even better model this term, and should justify favouritism to land the Prix de l’Abbaye. This Tasleet colt has already notched up two Group One wins this season, taking the Nunthorpe at York and then the Flying Five at The Curragh. George Boughey’s Believing has come off second best to Bradsell in both of those hot sprints, so once again rates the main danger, in a race dominated by raiders from England and Ireland. Richard Hughes improving No Half Measures looks the best of the rest, but Bradsell is the one to follow.

Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1) 3.20
Look De Vega
With City Of Troy heading Stateside for the Breeders’ Cup meeting, this year’s Arc has been thrown wide open. There’s plenty of statistics to bear in mind when making your selection for Europe’s richest Flat Race, not least the recent record of three-year-olds, and Fillies & Mares having plenty of notable successes, while low drawn stalls looks potentially the biggest factor. Notable trainers for the Arc are headed by the brilliant Andre Fabre, and he has a three-pronged attack this year with Mqse De Sevigne, Sosie and the unexposed stayer, Sevenna’s Knight. Aidan O’Brien sends out Los Angeles, winner of the Criterium de Saint-Cloud last year, while son Joseph has laid out Al Riffa for this race. Home hopes lie with nearby trainers, father and son team Carlos & Yann Lerner, who have French Derby winner, Look De Vega ready to go for the big one, while Andre Fabre has the in-form Sosie heading the ante-post markets alongside Los Angeles. His second string, Mqse De Sevigne, has all but ruined her chances with a draw in stall 16, but although she’s never run this far, she always seems to find enough to get over the line in front, and has won four on the bounce this season, including three Group Ones. She makes a fascinating each-way angle as she tends to be dropped in at the rear of the pack, before making her move late on, and if the race opens up for her, Mqse De Sevigne could be a surprise winner. In the final analysis though, Look De Vega, Al Riffa and Sosie should all be in the mix from decent draws, while Mqse De Sevigne is our each-way gamble.

Prix de l’Opera Longines (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) 4.05
Friendly Soul
A gamble is taken on the front-running Friendly Soul to score for John & Thady Gosden. If this Kingman filly can get into a good position coming wide out of stall 8, she’s more than capable of running the pace out of this field, much as she has done in her last two starts. Those tactics worked a treat when Friendly Soul made all in a Group 3 Fillies’ & Mares’ contest at Ascot in July, and then sent out on softer ground at Deauville proved the point again, seeing off all-comers once granted a lead into the first turn. Fallen Angel is of course a Classic winner over a mile, while Ylang Ylang can reverse places with that rival from their clash in the Coolmore America ‘Justify Stakes’ at Leopardstown, now stepped up in trip, while French hopes lie with Patrice Cottier’s Sparkling Plenty. A cracker in store, with the chance taken on the unexposed Friendly Soul.

Qatar Prix de la Foret Presente par Education Above All (Group 1) 4.40
Kinross (nb)
Ralph Beckett’s grand servant showed he’s as good as ever when landing the Park Stakes at Doncaster three weeks ago, and is taken to go in again. He won this in 2022, and was runner-up last year to Kelina by just half a length. However, the French team hold a strong hand here, with the front-running Tribalist sure to take things along at a clip, while Ramatuelle is a classy opponent and gets a 6lb pull over Kinross. Karl Burke has been outstanding with his sprinters this year, so Poet Master has to make the shortlist, while William Haggas’s Tiber Flow and last year’s winner, Kelina look super each-way value. Kinross to prove there’s still enough in the tank for more Group 1 honours.

The Mandarin