There will be 15 contenders for Sunday's €5,000,000 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp after Thursday's draw was made, with the Sept. 12 G1 Prix Vermeille winner Teona (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) the only notable name missing from the list due to the expected rain over the weekend. Godolphin's June 5 G1 Epsom Derby and July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was drawn in 11, with the fellow Charlie Appleby-trained June 26 G1 Irish Derby, July 14 G1 Grand Prix de Paris and Sept. 11 G1 St Leger hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) faring more favourably in two. The Aga Khan's triple group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) is next door in three, while Aidan O'Brien will be represented by a team of three headed by June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks, July 17 G1 Irish Oaks and Aug. 19 G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). She has drawn stall nine, with Japan's dual representation of the four-time elite-level winner Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) and the Sept. 12 G2 Prix Foy scorer Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) allocated stalls 14 and five respectively.
Draw analysis is always important ahead of the autumn monument and it is widely-accepted that the further away from the inside rail the lesser the chance. William Buick had understandably already nailed his colours to the mast of Adayar prior to the worsening forecast and the draw and the imposing bay will have to be every bit as good as he looked at Epsom and Ascot to emulate Lammtarra in 1995 in bringing up the unique treble. Interestingly, Buick was also positioned on the outside in 12 on the stable's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) two years ago and opted to go forward to the lead and Adayar seemed to have overcome his slow-starting habit last time in the King George.
Having overcome the hoodoo stall one in the Derby which had proven to be the kiss of death for all since Oath (Ire) (Fairy King) in 1999, the colt that Buick described as having “endless power” carries stable confidence into this renewal despite his draw. After the Appleby duo completed simple breezes at Moulton Paddocks on Thursday, their trainer said, “In the soft conditions that are likely to prevail, the draw is not a crucial factor with two horses who have seen the mile and a half out well. On good ground, you would like to be drawn single figures, but when the ground becomes as soft as it's likely to be, a good draw becomes less of an issue. It's more a matter of where the pace of the race is going to be. There are horses who like to go forward drawn in all numbers–low, middle and outer.”
“William Buick and James Doyle know the horses well. They know their strengths. When the gates open, they will know where they should be placing their horses. We know the soft ground is going to suit Hurricane Lane. But as a bonus, we know if it becomes a stamina-sapping Arc, he has already proven he has stamina in abundance. It's a double positive for him.”
“Adayar showed as a 2-year-old he likes soft ground. In the King George, he showed his class as the ground was plenty quick enough that day. We are certainly happier being on soft rather than quick ground going into an Arc. With his draw, it will come down to what the pace is on the day. Adayar has not missed a beat since the minor setback. I couldn't be happier with his wellbeing. As for Hurricane Lane, I'm very pleased the way he has come out of the St Leger. He's had a busy season, so it has been a simple prep to have him ready for the Arc.”
Oisin Murphy will not have welcomed the wide draw for Chrono Genesis, who bids to end Japan's long wait and who will need to break much better than did compatriot Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) from her outside post 12 months ago. Injured at Salisbury on Thursday, he will be fine to be in the saddle for the ride on Sunday Racing Company Ltd's 5-year-old who was reported by trainer Takashi Saito to be firmly at home in Paris. “This morning she was working under Oisin Murphy and appears very quiet and settled in,” he said via an interpreter on Wednesday. “The main part of the preparation has been done in Japan, I find her in very good condition.”
“She had a very fluid action, I'm not concerned about anything. I haven't had the opportunity to weigh her, but she looks like she's in the condition she was in when she was running in Japan. She's very brave and courageous, so I'm not worried about the [soft] ground. I know that the opposition is going to be very strong, but for me the most important thing is that I prepare the mare so that she is 100 per cent in form on that day, the rest is up to Oisin, I'm very honoured that she is considered a chance in the Arc, that is a great honour for me.”
Murphy, whose paddock accident on Thursday resulted only in stitches to his lip, reacted to the draw of Chrono Genesis later in the day. “The good thing is there are some really good ones drawn near me in Adayar and Snowfall and I'd expect both of them to be ridden prominently, so I'll jump normal, have a look what's going on towards my inside and hopefully slot in somewhere. If the pace is on, then I'll take my time and let instinct take over. Frankie won from out wide on Golden Horn, but he managed to steel New Bay's pacemaker. There aren't any pacemakers in the race this year, so it might be more difficult to do.”
“However, I prefer a high draw than being drawn one or two that's for sure. I've ridden in the Arc before, when Salouen was sixth behind Enable in 2018, so I know what to expect. As for the mare, I flew over to France on Wednesday morning to sit on her and give her a spin. She felt very good, she seemed in very good shape. I didn't do anything too strenuous with her, but she's in very good condition and connections couldn't be happier.”
“It's a huge day for me. It would be a dream come true for me to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and for everyone connected with racing in Japan it's massive. It's a race they've really wanted to win for a lot of years and she goes there with a great chance. It won't be easy, as it's an unbelievable field. There are so many superstars in there and to have a genuine chance is a huge thing for me. I can't think about it too much. It would be beyond my wildest dreams.”
Saturday's Group 1 contests also took their final shape on Thursday, with 13 stayers heading to post for the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran including Bjorn Nielsen's Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and a field of 11 set for the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu also at Parislongchamp. At Newmarket, the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. sees 13 fillies and mares tackle the Rowley Mile headed by Rockcliffe Stud's July 9 G1 Falmouth S. heroine Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}). She will be re-opposed by that race's runner-up Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was last seen finishing a luckless third behind the O'Callaghans' Sept. 11 G1 Matron S. winner No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}).
Juvenile Pointers
On Friday, Saint-Cloud stages the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie for 2-year-olds over a mile with Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Chancellery (Ire) (Medaglia d'Oro) bidding to follow up his impressive ParisLongchamp debut success Sept. 2. Andre Fabre is looking for a 10th renewal with the £675,000 Arqana Breeze-Up Sale topper from the family of the juvenile champion Aljabr and the operation's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “Chancellery is a very straightforward horse who heads into this race in good form. The ground will be a bit of a question mark for him if the forecast rain arrives.”
Easing of the conditions will also pose a question mark over one of his main opponents, The Aga Khan's Liyann (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who has won on good-to-soft at Clairefontaine at the start of August and on good at Deauville Aug. 24. Ecurie Pierre Pilarski's Making Moovies (Ire) (Dabirsim {Fr}) sets the form standard on his splitting of the filly Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and subsequent G3 Prix de Conde winner El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix la Rochette over seven furlongs Sept. 5.
More 2022 Classic clues are on offer at Dundalk later in the day, with the seven-furlong Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Star Appeal S. playing host to Coolmore and Westerberg's Aug. 15 course debut scorer Absolute Ruler (War Front) who was a touch unlucky when third in the G2 Champions Juvenile S. at Leopardstown last time Sept. 11. Donnacha O'Brien pitches the son of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in against his father's trainee Leinster House, another son of War Front who steps up in trip rather than down following his dead-heat on debut over six furlongs at Naas Sept. 16. A son of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), he is one of several exciting prospects in a line-up that is notably strong for its status.
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