Group One Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Guide 2022

Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s second runner in this but he looks to be making up the numbers when looking at what exactly he has achieved.

He was eleventh in last year’s Arc and has just been successful in one of the 14 Group One races he has contested in.

Not a great record so you would have to concentrate on the trainers other runner, Luxembourg in this year’s affair.

Yoshito Yahagi’s globetrotter beat the capable Manobo in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan in March, but there is a trend that will not tick a box for this horse as he would be the first 7 year old to be victorious in the Arc for 90 years.

Totally dismissed.

Another who has also ran in the Prix Vermeille but is a massive outsider here who you cannot really give much hope to. Has not shown much compared to some of the other French raiders.

Would oppose.

This 5 year old daughter of Frankel has won five Group One races on the bounce, across three countries which has made her somewhat of a global superstar.

Her most recent win came in the Yorkshire Oaks where she won that by a length.That was impressive, therefore she underlined her credentials for this year’s Arc.

She can run on pretty much any sort of ground and trainer, Sir Mark Prescott has made it clear that this has been the aim for her all season.

This will be her toughest assignment yet, but she is thriving and is seeking a sixth successive Group One victory. Looks to tick all the boxes, has to be in the mix.

John & Thady Gosden travel to Paris with two runners this year in Mishriff and Mostahdaf, drawn together in stalls 17 and 16.

This globetrotting star has been a terrific horse in the last few years and has shown he is still capable of big runs.Has won over £11 million in prize money but he may be past his best.

William Buick gets to ride him for the first time, but Mishriff has had success over shorter distances and on quicker ground.

Looks to be a tough ask for him this time round but if he can handle challenging conditions, with Buick on board there is no reason for him to be dismissed.

Deep Bond has pretty much been no match to Japanese favourite, Titleholder when they have come up against each other in the past so a case cannot be made for him when having to face such quality horses from Europe.

The form of this horse is no match for a lot of the runners in this field.

Top French trainer, Andre Fabre runs Mare Australis here but from a hefty looking draw in stall 19, he may not be one of the strongest French runners in this year’s Arc.

He finished well adrift of the well fancied Alpinista in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last time, and it is difficult to see him making much impression here.

He is a 5 year old but France’s three-year-olds probably have better chances.

Ran in the Arc last year finishing fifth behind a few superstars. Perhaps was ridden too cautiously on that occasion so a change of tactics may make him a player this time round.

He went on to win the Champion Stakes at Ascot just 13 days after his run in the Arc.

He has not been in the best form this campaign, but his season has been geared around this race for a while now.

Loves softer ground and may get those conditions, so needs to be considered as an each way player at massive odds.

The defending champion is back again this year and is bidding to retain his crown. He won the Arc last year at massive odds of 80/1 which caused a shock within the racing world as he went on to beat a very tough looking field on that occasion.

Deep ground will suit this horse to a tee and winning the Arc again will have been the main aim of what has been a mixed season for him.

He has won only once this campaign in four runs, most recently finishing second in a Baden-Baden Group One going off as an odds on favourite.

Frankie Dettori is looking for a seventh Arc success and he will be hoping this horse can run to the levels he showed last year if conditions suit once again.

Respected.

Top trainer William Haggas runs Alenquer here but he is an outsider for a reason as he was only ninth last year in the 2021 running of the Arc and has disappointed since.

Did not run well in the Irish Champion, so he cannot really be given a chance here against other horses who are superior to him.

The Japanese are yet to win the Arc which is incredible when you think how close they have come in previous years.

He was a wide-margin winner of the Japanese St Leger and arrives after successive Group One wins over contrasting trips, 2m and then 1m 3f.

You do not usually see that and the latter win was gained in a course record so he is clearly a very interesting runner from Japan.

Soft ground would be an unknown for this horse but his dam was by Motivator, whose stock enjoy plenty of give so it may end up being a positive.

Can Japan get their first Arc success? Titleholder certainly looks like he can run a big race here.

Another German raider and one who you could argue should not be the price he currently is. Comparing him to Torquator Tasso, he has the better looking draw from stall 1 and has recently beaten last year’s Arc Winner too.

Mendocino was also beaten just under a length by Alpinista when they clashed at Munich in November, so it shows he maybe should not be the price he is.

Would not be a surprise if he were to go close when fighting it out at the finish. An each way contender at a big price.

This progressive son of Frankel has impressed in the races he has won so far in his career and he got back on track by winning the September Stakes last time out.

The four year old has never previously tackled a Group One race before, so this makes him somewhat of an unknown. Runs for the same ownership as the mighty Baaeed so jockey Jim Crowley gets to ride him instead.

Will have to put in a career best, but looks a mighty task considering this will be his first time running against such opposition.

This year’s current favourite and one of two for trainer, Aidan O’Brien. This very talented 3 year old colt has won 5 of 6 career starts so far, including two Group One contests.

He fulfilled his early promise with a fine victory in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last time out.

He beat an impressive looking field that day, which featured a few of the other horses running in this year’s Arc.

He promises to stay a mile and a half and it seems different ground conditions will not be too much of an issue for him, plus he will have the assistance of two-time Arc-winning jockey Ryan Moore on board.

Trainer has never won the Arc with a 3 year old, but Luxembourg deserves to be at the top of the market and is very highly respected.

Just like Alpinista, we have another of Frankel’s progeny, Westover. He is in fact drawn next to Alpinista in stall 7 and will be looking for a better break as he fluffed his lines badly in the King George.

He had previously won the Irish Derby at The Curragh with ease after an unlucky third in the Derby at Epsom. This was caused by a bit of traffic in running and he could not quite get out that day.

He has shown his inconsistency when it comes to such matters, so it depends what Westover turns up on the day.

Respected nonetheless.

One of two for French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. This 3 year old colt has shown signs of major progression as he was a winner of this year’s French Derby before following up in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown.

He was a beaten favourite when third in the Irish Champion Stakes behind fellow Arc contenders Onesto and Luxembourg.His pedigree gives him prospects of staying but his hold-up style of racing will leave him in a position where jockey Christophe Soumillon will have to work his magic.

His connections seemed fairly adamant he would run in the Champion Stakes until it was revealed that the best flat horse in the world, Baaeed would be heading to Ascot.

Can definitely reverse the Leopardstown form so has a huge chance.

He was well adrift of Vadeni in the French Derby but he had little chance to show what he could do after getting caught up in rear from what was an unfavourable draw.

He comes from stall 11 on this occasion which is not too bad at all.It was not a surprise having already proven his stamina for a mile and a half when victory occurred in the Grand Prix de Paris so he commands respect.

Races against current favourite Luxembourg again, so will have to make sure he is at his best if he has a chance of reversing any sort of form.

Japan have come to France with a few runners but ones that come at big prices. Do Deuce was below-par when encountering a softer surface than usual in the Prix Niel.

He was not seen on a racecourse for four months so he may have needed this run.

Do not think this horse can give Japan much hope of winning an Arc for the first time.

Another who has previously ran in the Arc, which took place last year when he finished eighth and runs again at huge odds.

Will be one of the biggest surprises if he can manage to run to a level where he would win a race of such prestigious nature.

One positive thing for him is that his price does not reflect that he finished little more than a length behind Alpinista at Saint-Cloud in July, albeit he has a lot more to find here against more top horses like her.

Would not totally oppose but a very unlikely winner.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s second runner and one who certainly would cause a bit of an upset if he were to go close in this year’s running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe due to his current price.

He was another horse who had little chance in the French Derby in the way it unfolded, and he actually managed to do well to finish fourth.

He has since raced in Deauville landing a Group Two contest, so he is clearly a talented individual who has shown a lot of promise. Questions could be asked of his stamina but he stayed on well at Chantilly, big price considering he has shown ability.