Hukum gets the better of Westover

Arc de Triomphe: What the trainers are saying ahead of Sunday's race

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Sun October 01, 2023 · 2y ago

Check out the view from connections ahead of Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.

John O’Connor of Ballylinch Stud, who own Bay Bridge in conjunction with breeder James Wigan: “We’re heading there and hoping for a good result. We think based on his last run that he gets a mile and a half. He’s well proven over a mile and a quarter, but he appears to get a mile and a half well enough judged on the September Stakes, which has been used as a Prix de l’Arc prep previously by Enable. So it’s a proven path if you like.

“He’s a very good horse, but obviously the Arc is a very difficult race to win. It’s regularly the highest-rated race in the world and we’re under no illusions that it is a competitive race and hard to win. But we think he is in there with a good chance and he’s trained by a maestro who has already won the race, so he knows what it takes to win it. He’s keen to run him and we’re happy to go along with that. Everyone knows how hard it is to win the race, but we’re going to give it a shot.”

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Westover's owners Juddmonte: “We’re looking forward to it and he’s in good form at home. His preparations have gone really well, both Ralph and Rob (Hornby, jockey) are really happy with him and as I say, he’s had a smooth run into it.

“He’s a better horse now at four, both physically and mentally, and is in a good place. He’s been to France and Dubai this year and travelling doesn’t seem to bother him and hopefully that is a plus. He’s obviously had two hard runs his last two races and we probably won’t see the full effect of them, if there is any, until he runs on Sunday. But the ground looks like it will be better than last year which will suit and he has had his few days away (racecourse gallops) and a break since the King George. There have been no blips along the way and hopefully that will equate to a good run on Sunday.”

Quick-fire Arc tips

Angus Gold, racing manager for Hukum's owners Shadwell. “It’s very exciting, Owen decided to keep him fresh (after Ascot) hoping to get him there in good shape. There’s a reason it is one of the best races in the world, it is very hard to win. It will be fascinating this year to see if the two really good French three-year-olds and the likes of Continuous and Fantastic Moon are good enough to take on the older horses. That is the interesting puzzle this year and obviously we won’t know until Sunday.

“It’s very exciting to go out there with a chance, it’s a shame about the draw but there is nothing we can do about that so we are just going to have to work our way around it, hope for a little bit of luck, and see how we get on.”

Aidan O’Brien - Continuous: “Every horse is different and every year is different, but it is two weeks and it is quick enough for going back. You’d prefer three or four weeks really, but I suppose he has been busy and he’s a hardy type of horse now. Obviously we’re hoping, he seems to be in good form.

“You’re obviously never sure when you turn around that quick and he is only a three-year-old, but he’s a hardy, mature horse. He’s done plenty of racing and he has had breaks in between his runs. We’re very hopeful, he’s a good, strong traveller, he’s relaxed and he’s got form in all types of ground and he is tactically quick enough, but you never know until you do it, really.

“He’s not dislike (2016 winner) Found, he’s a good, strong traveller. He handles fast ground and he does quicken and gets the trip very well. He probably gets the trip better, Found just got a mile and a half but this horse won a Leger so obviously gets further. But class might have helped him do that and not stamina.”

Jean-Claude Rouget - Ace Impact: “We’re not going to do anything special. He’s quite calm in the morning, it’s true that in a race, like all good horses, he’s more exuberant, but we shall just handle it as we always do.Obviously there’s going to be more spectators and it’s going to be a special day, but so far everything is going as planned.

“The jockey will ride him as usual and try to relax him until the second half of the race. The track is going to be fast enough so everyone will be able to find a position and I’m not really worried that there isn’t going to be any pace. We don’t really have a reference (with the British and Irish horses) and I just hope that there’s a good pace in the race, which will allow horses that race in the back to finish.”

Pascal Bary - Feed The Flame: “He ran very well in the Prix du Jockey Club, he finished close to the Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner (Marhaba Ya Sanafi), there were only a few lengths between him and Ace Impact, so it was a good performance.He really likes Longchamp because it’s a track that allows him the time to produce his potential. He’s a horse that likes to take his time and at Longchamp he can do that because there’s the long straight.

“He’s a horse that can be a bit cold at the beginning of a race, but he develops throughout the race as he goes further and he showed in the Grand Prix de Paris that he accelerated really well in the final straight.”

Dual Arc-winning rider Christophe Soumillon will be in the saddle again, and Bary added: “He knows the horse, he knows Longchamp, he knows how to ride that race. Once I put him on the horse, I can go into the stands and watch the race with confidence.”

Tomohito Ozeki - Through Seven Seas: “The trip went really well, it was a long trip to come over here but thanks to all the staff and people around her it all went really well. Everything has gone well in her training. She has acclimatised really well to a new environment. She did a little canter last Sunday, just to see what was happening, on the Aigles track, it was just a small canter.

“On Wednesday morning she did a small gallop, her last before the race and she had a really nice action at the end as she usually shows, so everything is going really well.”

Stephane Wattel - Simca Mille: “On Sunday, he will be racing on his favourite ground and ideal course. He’s a very intelligent horse and a straightforward ride. It is only during the pre-race parade when he can get stirred up. We will be clashing with horses which are theoretically superior to him, but it is a great opportunity to take them on in optimal conditions.”

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org

Like what you've read?