Matt Brocklebank ranks his top three Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe trials ahead of the 2025 edition of the great race - and the long wait for Japan could finally be over if he's on the money.
Croix Du Nord – WON Prix du Prince d’Orange, Longchamp (Sept 14)
In what surely has a case for being the strongest Group 3 run in Europe all season, Japan Derby winner Croix Du Nord on Sunday made a successful French debut having been kept back for an Arc de Triomphe campaign since his Tokyo heroics in front of a heaving crowd back in June.
On the face of it runner-up Daryz put in an almighty effort to push the winner so close after coming from the back of the field in a slowly-run race, Francis-Henri Graffard’s colt bouncing straight back from his lacklustre display in the Juddmonte International at York, but this all boils down to how much Croix Du Nord had left in the tank, and I suspect it was more than initially meets the eye.
Whereas Daryz was coming into the weekend relatively fit and race-ready, Croix Du Nord could improve a huge amount for the outing/experience, especially as his connections were on record stating his final piece of work in Chantilly last Wednesday had been “unsatisfactory”.
The previously unbeaten Nahraan finished third, Listed winner Uthred was fourth and 110-rated Bolster ended up back in fifth so even though it was yet another Arc trial run at a fairly pedestrian early gallop, the form appears to have substance to it and I now rate the first and second as major Arc players.
The ground was officially described as 'very soft' again and while suggesting Croix Du Nord is now fully proven on testing conditions would probably be pushing it, there was definitely more ease underfoot than was the case on the official Qatar Arc Trials Day at the same venue earlier in the month.
The last laugh can often be loudest in racing and as far prep races go, I’d say this drops straight in at number one.
Sosie – 2nd in Qatar Prix Foy, Longchamp (Sept 7)
The Wertheimer-owned pair of Sosie and Aventure both showcased their talents on Trials Day at Longchamp a fortnight ago but this year’s Vermeille felt apart rather after odds-on favourite Whirl failed to produce her best by a long way.
There must be a chance the Prix Foy has more of an impact on the Arc this time as the older horses really showed up in force, Byzantine Dream another Japanese-trained winner as he held off last year’s Arc beaten favourite Sosie, with Almaqam a couple of lengths adrift in third and Los Angeles only fourth.
The runner-up shaped very well on the day, outpaced close home on ground that was riding plenty fast enough but only headed late on and looking like he’d sharpen up for the first run since disappointing in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
Softer ground next month should help when it comes to reversing form with the winner and Andre Fabre's horse looks very nicely set to run a huge race at the second time of asking in the Arc itself.
Alohi Alii – WON Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, Deauville (Aug 16)
A first Japanese-trained Arc winner seems long overdue now and in 2025 the quality of horses being sent to vie for Europe’s coveted prize is seemingly as high as it’s been for many years.
The Far East contingent have not been hiding their lights away this autumn either, Byzantine Dream winning the Prix Foy and Croix Du Nord joining the party just last weekend, but it’s also worth casting your mind back a month to Alohi Alii’s stylish display in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano.
Mishriff, Dubai Honour, Ace Impact and Economics all feature on the rollcall of recent winners of Deauville’s Group 2 contest over 10 furlongs, and although there was an odds-on favourite this year, the race was taken apart by the Hiroyasu Tanaka-trained Alohi Alii who caused a real stir in the hands of Christophe Lemaire.
The previously unheralded son of Duramente (100/1 in the antepost Arc market beforehand) was sent to the front soon after the start and never saw another rival en route to a decisive, three and a half-length victory over Brian Meehan’s Rashabar, who holds an official BHA rating of 113 and is not a bad yardstick when it comes to assessing the merit of the form based on his full body of work in Britain and France at two (won the Coventry) and three.
Perhaps an even great indicator as to what Alohi Alii achieved is the fact that third home Cualificar (the short-priced market leader at Deauville) came out to punch his own Arc ticket by winning the Prix Niel earlier this month.
Alohi Alii was different class to that colt and while his stamina for a mile and a half remains unproven, it was a particularly eyecatching effort and he’s still available at 25/1 which looks too big given how the race has seen a number of the previous market principals turned over in subsequent weeks.
Published at 1100 BST on 17/09/25
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