65 horses remain as official entries for the 2024 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, 6th October at Longchamp. The showcase race of the entire European flat season is now just one month away from crowning another great champion, with continental and global interest aplenty among those left in the contest.
The obvious place to start is with an unbeaten favourite. Look De Vega boasts an extremely similar profile to last year’s winner Ace Impact, who himself retired after the race having gone through his brief career unbeaten. Indeed, Look De Vega has had fewer starts to this point, racing just three times, but was very impressive when putting the French Derby to bed as his predecessor did. He will be looking to give the host nation a fourth win in the last six renewals having won none between 2015-2018.
He is followed in the market by Andre Fabre’s Sosie. In the famous Wertheimer silks of blue with white sleeves, he was third to Look De Vega in the Prix Du Jockey Club, but subsequently won the Grand Prix De Paris over 1m4f in commanding fashion. He is a son of 2009 Arc hero Sea The Stars.
For Ireland, it is the O’Briens heading the charge. Joseph leads the way with Al Riffa having broken his Group 1 duck in fine style in the Grosser Preis Von Berlin in Germany in August, having previously chased home City Of Troy in the Eclipse. He appears to be getting better with every run and was also runner-up behind Ace Impact when the pair prepped for the Arc a year ago.
Father Aidan could be responsible for both Nassau Stakes winner Opera Singer and Irish Derby hero Los Angeles, who has been beaten just once in his career to date. Both may enjoy prevailing soft ground should it arrive at Longchamp, with the former having won the Prix Marcel Boussac as a juvenile by five lengths at the meeting a year ago.
As ever, there will be a chase from Japan, as the nation looks to end its wait for a win in this race. Shin Emperor was third in the Tokyo Yushun, the Japanese Derby, in May, but has been very consistent at that level over the past two seasons. Given the strength of recent middle distance horses hailing from the nation, it would be no surprise if he were involved, especially if the rain kept away.
John Gosden won three Arcs for Great Britain between 2015 and 2018 courtesy of Golden Horn and then Enable’s double-up. British hopes this year are thin on the ground though, with potential hopes resting on Economics being surprisingly supplemented, as Arabian Crown is currently the shortest-priced competitor trained on these shores. At 33/1, he sits alongside Germany’s best potential hope in Fantastic Moon.