Sisfahan is a runner for Henk Grewe in the prestigious Group 1 this weekend. The German-trained runner has plenty to find in this company, having failed to score in five starts in 2023.
On his previous start, he finished last of six over a mile and four in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden. Up against it this weekend.
Haya Zark is a runner for Adrien Fouassier this weekend. The four-year-old returned after an 84-day break at Deauville in late August, as he finished third of five in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville.
He has won three from nine starts in stakes company, but unless the ground gets very testing, he won’t be playing much of a part this weekend, and the odds illustrate that.
Onesto is the runner from the Fabrice Chappet yard at Longchamp this weekend. The four-year-old has only been seen on two occasions this season. He made his reappearance at Deauville in the G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois, before finishing seventh of eight in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes.
Onesto was a solid tenth in the Arc last year, and has course and distance form at Longchamp from 2022 after beating Simca Mille by a neck. Huge price, but could run into a place.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/10/23 | LON | 12 | GS | 9-5 | 3 |
| 09/09/23 | LEO | 10 | Gd | 9-9 | 7 |
| 13/08/23 | DEA | 8 | GS | 9-5 | 4 |
| 27/11/22 | TOK | 12 | GF | 8-9 | 7 |
| 02/10/22 | LON | 12 | VSft | 8-13 | 10 |
Stephane Wattel’s runner this weekend is Simca Mille, who will be the ride of Alexis Pouchin. The four-year-old holds some interesting form over a mile and four this season, most recently when winning the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin from Sisfahan at Hoppegarten.
He has already made two starts at the track this season, winning in early April, before finishing second to Iresine over a mile and two in late April. Something to find in this company, but hasn’t been far away in stakes company at Longchamp in four efforts.
Richard Kingscote takes the ride on Bay Bridge for trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, this weekend. The five-year-old warmed up for the Arc with a straightforward success on the all-weather at Kempton in early September.
However, he is yet to win over a mile and four on the turf. Bay Bridge was a runner at Longchamp in late April, but he could finish only third behind winner Iresine and reappearing rival Simca Mille in the G1 Prix Ganay.
Westover is an incredibly consistent runner for Ralph Beckett in this company, and comes into the Arc after an extended break following his effort to finish second behind Hukum in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July.
He has finished second on three from four starts this season, including when over three lengths behind one-time Arc favourite Equinox in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. Was an encouraging sixth in the Arc last year, and will likely be closer on better ground this weekend.
Hukum is the runner for Owen Burrows this weekend, with Jim Crowley taking the ride. He has been in career-best form throughout this season, most recently beating Westover by a head in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. However, he is looking to buck a number of trends this weekend.
Those include becoming the oldest horse to win the race since Motrico in 1932. Meanwhile, only six winners since 2000 have broken from ten or higher.
Andre Fabre-trained Place Du Carrousel will be the ride of Mickael Barzalona this weekend. The four-year-old filly has won on each of her previous two, which includes a course and distance success over Iresine in the G2 Prix Foy on September 10.
She acts well on soft ground, beating Nashwa by nearly a length over a mile and two in the G1 Prix de l’Opera 12 months ago. Interesting contender.
Japanese dreams in the Arc this year hang on Through Seven Seas for Tomohito Ozeki. The five-year-old has interesting form that ties in with Equinox, having finished just a neck behind the world’s top-rated horse in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June.
She has been off the track since that effort, but has won twice from three starts this term. Hard to overlook that form given that fillies and mares have won eight of the last 12 renewals.
Free Wind is the runner for John & Thady Gosden this weekend, and it would be some story if Frankie Dettori is able to sign off in France with a victory in the prestigious race on Sunday.
The five-year-old was last seen finishing a head second to Warm Heart in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks, and was a winner in France over an extended mile and four last season. She has the stamina for this kind of test, and on her day, she is incredibly talented.
Mr Hollywood is a runner for Henk Grewe this weekend. The three-year-old is yet to finish outside of the first two in five career starts, but he has won just once from four efforts in stakes company.
Mr Hollywood was narrowly denied Group 1 success in Germany on his previous start after finishing a neck behind Zagrey. Unproven over this distance, and is in deep water at Longchamp.
Feed The Flame represents the Pascal Bary yard this weekend. The three-year-old will have Christophe Soumillion on board this weekend. He was last seen finishing second over course and distance in the G2 Prix Niel behind Fantastic Moon.
However, he has won on good to soft ground at Longchamp over a mile and four this season, beating Adelaide River by a length in July. However, he was over six lengths behind Ace Impact in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly over a mile and two in June.
Cristian Demuro takes the ride on hot favourite Ace Impact for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. The three-year-old takes the step up to a mile and four for the first time this weekend after winning on all four of his career starts.
He was a very impressive winner of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in June, before scoring by three-quarters of a length in the G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano. Figures have him bang there, but only Dalakhani in 2003 has won the Prix du Jockey Club and Arc in the same season as a three-year-old this century.
Fantastic Moon is the runner of Frau Steinberg this weekend, and Rene Piechulek will take the ride. The three-year-old was a fine winner over course and distance in September, beating Feed The Flame by over two lengths in the G2 Prix Niel.
He was second on soft conditions behind Nations Pride over a mile and two in Group 1 company in Germany in July, but has won on both starts over the Arc distance, with his first effort coming over Mr Hollywood, who re-opposes on Sunday. Really interesting German runner.
Aidan O’Brien’s runner in the Arc this weekend is Continuous, who will be the ride of Ryan Moore. The three-year-old was an excellent winner over a mile and four at York in late August, beating Castle Way to land the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes.
That was followed by a domination at Doncaster in the G1 St Leger, beating Arrest by nearly three lengths. However, no winner of the Classic has followed up in the same year’s Arc, with 2021 winner Hurricane Lane coming closest when third at Longchamp.
