Arc de Triomphe Tips: Guide to the contenders, draw and best bets

Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Group 1)

• When: 15:05 Sunday, October 4
• Where: ParisLongchamp
• Total prize pool: €5million
• Going: Good
• TV: ITV & Sky Sports Racing
• Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook | Free bets

DARYZ (Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard)

Draw: Stall 5

Burst onto the scene in the spring of 2025, having been unraced as a two-year-old, and while he was beaten in last year’s Juddmonte International as well as when prepping in the Prix du Prince d’Orange, he came storming back to win last year’s Arc by a head from Minnie Hauk. Had always promised to carry on improving as he matured, such is his size, and added two more Group 1 wins his CV earlier this year, including when showing bags of pace in the nine-furlong Prix Aga Khan IV. Disappointed again back in Britain when well-held third at Royal Ascot but returned to Longchamp to win the Prix Foy in no more than a stroll. Has a brilliant 7-8 strike-rate at this course, another good draw in five, and every right to top the market as he bids to become the ninth dual Arc winner in history.

SADDADD (Roger Varian)

Draw: Stall 9

Has won half of his 10 lifetime starts and despite coming up just short in domestic Group 1s earlier in the year, he ground out a top-class victory upped to 12 furlongs for the first time in Germany on September 6. Clearly open to further improvement at the trip but his overall body of work needs improving upon if he’s going to be competitive against some of the very best that Europe has to offer. Could also find the ground lively enough.

CHESTNUT ROCKET (Alicja Karkosa)

Draw: Stall 2

Represents a French-based Japanese trainer and landed a 12-furlong Listed contest at Vichy in July. Beaten by Al Aasy in a Deauville Group 2 when last seen in August, though, and that form is a notch or three below what’s going to be required to stake a claim in Sunday’s showpiece.

ADMIRE TERRA (Yasuo Tomomichi)

Draw: Stall 12

Five-year-old who has some smart two-mile form in the book from his native Japan, but having his first taste of European action this weekend and could find things happening a bit too quickly, despite ground conditions looking likely to be favourable.

MEISHO TABARU (Mamoru Ishibashi)

Draw: Stall 13

Looks to be Japan’s principal hope this year and whereas their two runners were fairly well-fancied after winning French trials before last year’s Arc, this dual Group 1 winner is creeping into the race under the radar. His best form is around this sort of trip too which augurs well and the prevailing ground seems unlikely to be an excuse as he’s done the majority of his racing on a sound surface. Narrowly got the better of Croix Du Nord in June when last seen, which reads well, and his prominent run-style could result in a big performance, although the wide draw might be problematic.

ARROW EAGLE (Jean-Claude Rouget)

Draw: Stall 14

Runs for retiring veteran handler Jean-Claude Rouget who saddled the Arc winner in 2001, but this horse's most recent win came over a distance just shy of two miles and he’s had his limitations exposed against the likes of Daryz earlier this season. Ran well enough in a Deauville Group 2 last time out but would need the heavens to open in order to bring his stamina into play and looks to be facing a very tall order otherwise.

BAY CITY ROLLER (George Scott)

Draw: Stall 15

High-class and consistent four-year-old, who underlined his liking for testing conditions when running out a 10-length winner of the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom in June. Given a break after that with an Arc bid firmly in mind, but he was brushed aside by Daryz after making the running in the Prix Foy and, as well as stall 15, looks to have been unfortunate not to have his ideal ground again this weekend. Anything but soft and he seems likely to be outpaced when it matters most.

FRIENDLY SOUL (John & Thady Gosden)

Draw: Stall 7

Earned a free supplementary option by winning the Prix Vermeille, which was her first start at the Arc trip, and connections have decided to give it a shot rather than drop back to 10 furlongs for the Prix de l'Opera, a race she won under Kieran Shoemark in 2024. This season has got progressively better and she 'did it the hard way' in her trial, making most of the running before repelling the closers in the straight, but Sunday is a stiffer test again and, for all she's clearly a high-class mare, she might just come up short in this company over the trip.

MINNIE HAUK (Aidan O’Brien)

Draw: Stall 10

Top-notch three-year-old who started this season with an encouraging Group 2 Curragh win but hasn’t been able to add to her tally back in Group 1 company on her four most recent starts (trainer stated she's been suffering with corns). Wasn’t entirely disgraced when third to Kalpana in the Yorkshire Oaks when last seen but needs to come back with another PB if she’s to go one better than when beaten a head by Daryz in this event 12 months ago. Stall 10 not ideal.

KALPANA (Andrew Balding)

Draw: Stall 6

Has always had a touch of class but looking the finished article as a fully-matured five-year-old this term, enjoying her finest hour when beating Calandagan in the King George at Ascot towards the end of July. Has a fine record on that course and could manage only seventh behind Daryz and Minnie Hauk in last year’s Arc but she wasn’t ideally positioned from a wide draw and arguably ran as well as could be expected that day. Better draw this time and could certainly get much closer but she needs to bounce back to her best after rather scrambling home in the Yorkshire Oaks when last seen in August.

VARANDIR (Francis-Henri Graffard)

Draw: Stall 4

Represents the same connections at Daryz and, based on their homework, not quite in the same league as that stable star according to his trainer. Looks a bit more of a grinder, lacking the explosive turn of foot of Daryz, but he did come out on top in the Prix Niel, having previously run well behind Maltese Cross in the Grand Prix de Paris, and he's definitely entitled to take his chance in an Arc. More rain would probably prove beneficial to his chances.

BENVENUTO CELLINI (Aidan O’Brien)

Draw: Stall 1

Looked to have the world at his feet following a stylish comeback win in the Chester Vase back in May but the Betfred Derby experience was an obvious blot on the copybook and while he was able to recover and win the Irish Derby later in June, he’s not quite kicked on as hoped since then. Hung away his chance when turned over by Varandir in the Prix Niel recently and has a question to answer on the back of that performance. Unseasonably dry conditions are going to help, though, and with Ryan Moore opting to take the ride having seen the draw, he could take a hand if bouncing back to form.

BRIGHT LIGHT (Andreas Suborics)

Draw: Stall 8

German-trained chestnut colt whose sole success to date came on debut in April, since when he’s performed well in every start despite not being able to add to his tally. Sticking to the task well when placed in two German Group 1s over this trip but he doesn’t look to possess the necessary gears to trouble the leading contenders in this line-up.

MALTESE CROSS (William Haggas)

Draw: Stall 11

Sea The Stars colt who has gone from strength to strength as he’s gained more experience, showing an attitude to match his quality when landing the Lingfield Derby Trial and only finding the front-running winner too strong in the big one itself at Epsom. Back to winning ways in the Grand Prix de Paris, displaying a smart turn of foot, and lots to like about his Sky Bet Great Voltigeur win under a penalty at York since then. Enjoys decent ground and, despite stall 11, looks to have a leading chance of striking for William Haggas who came so close with three-year-old filly Sea Of Class here in 2018.

THUNDERING ON (Joseph O’Brien)

Draw: Stall 3

Missed out in both starts as a juvenile but stepped up on comeback run to win the Group 3 Salsabil at Navan in April before sprouting wings from off the pace to land the Betfred Oaks in tremendous fashion. Not quite able to replicate the form on quick enough ground in the Curragh’s Pretty Polly Stakes, but back from a break with an authoritative victory in the 10-furlong Blanford Stakes and still capable of finding a little more improvement back up in trip. Stall three should help her cause.

DIAMOND NECKLACE (Aidan O’Brien)

Draw: Stall 16

Pedigree suggests 10 furlongs could be her optimum distance and she’s undeniably proven herself to be among the best three-year-old fillies over shorter than 12 furlongs, having won the French Guineas and French Oaks before backing up against her elders in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Suffered the first defeat in her seven-race career when second to Aventure in soft ground at Deauville last time out and looks to have been dealt a rough hand with stall 16, which won't allow her the ground-saving trip she'd probably require in order to see out the new trip.

Verdict

If you could design the ideal race for DARYZ it would look a lot like a good-ground Arc de Triomphe around Longchamp and there's no question it is going to take something extraordinary to lower the reigning champion's colours at his favourite venue on Sunday. Stall five was just the icing on the cake for his connections at Thursday night's draw ceremony.

Three-year-old fillies are always dangerous getting the allowances, with Thundering On and Diamond Necklace both entitled to respect, while Maltese Cross looks the most progressive younger colt and conditions should be in favour of William Haggas's son of Sea The Stars.

Those of a more forgiving nature might be willing to overlook the prep run of Benvenuto Cellini, something Ryan Moore seems to have done having opted to ride him from stall one rather than Diamond Necklace or Minnie Hauk who are drawn wider.

Benvenuto Cellini clearly wasn't at his best in the Prix Niel but the yard was under a cloud at the time and he did win the Irish Derby in good fashion before running an encouraging race when third to Kalpana in the King George at Ascot in the heart of the summer. He's not too far behind the best of these on the pick of his form and it's arguably too soon to be writing him off.

1. DARYZ
2. Benvenuto Cellini
3. Maltese Cross
4. Meisho Tabaru

Published at 09:00 BST on 02/10/26

More on the 2026 Arc de Triomphe

• David Ord on Kalpana and the Juddmonte ties
• Ben Linfoot tackles the big Longchamp questions
• John Ingles backing title holder to double up
• Matt Brocklebank on the Longchamp undercard
• Simon Holt on why Maltese Cross is such an important runner
• Ian Ogg on the case for outsider Saddadd
• Nick Doggett recalls Fallon scoring on Hurricane Run
• For or against hot favourite Daryz?
• Who is the best bet in this year’s race?
• Graffard: Daryz the best horse I’ve trained
• Aidan O’Brien on Ballydoyle trio
• Tom Marquand feeling positive
• Colin Keane expects star mare to shine
• Arc de Triomphe preview podcast
• Ryan Moore opts to ride Benvenuto Cellini
• Arc odds from Sky Bet and Paddy Power

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