Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Guide

Trainer - H-A Pantall

Jockey - Olivier Peslier

The first horse to enter the field in the 2019 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a very consistent four year old called French King who has won on all four starts this season.

He started his season in Qatar winning a Group One in Doha, from there he went to Germany landing a nice Group Two in Cologne that was stronger than his seasonal debut.

He stayed in Germany for his next two contests again landing a Group Two and then he beat British raiders Communique and Old Persian in the German Derby.

However, for all his outstanding form others in the field have won better races this season and it looks a tough task to see him go close off the back of his preparations.

Trainer - Andre Fabre

Jockey - Pierre-Charles Boudot

Waldgeist really is a model professional for the seven time winning Arc handler Andre Fabre and at a nice price of 16/1 he has to be a horse to certainly look at from an each way perspective.

Now five years of age you would have thought he wouldn't be as strong as he has been but he has seemed to be just as strong, if not better.

He has won three Group One contests during his illustrious career with one of them coming on his first run of the season in the Prix Ganay beating Ghaiyyath comfortably at Longchamp.

He is a very versatile horse that has run to a fair standard on all different types of ground, having winning form on soft to good ground which always keeps him involved.

He does have to reverse form with Enable in every meeting they've had together finishing fourth in the Arc last year behind her and recently at Ascot when finishing third in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth.

The Fabre factor and the class of this five year old always gives him a chance, especially with his best performances coming on home turf.

Trainer - Charlie Appleby

Jockey - William Buick

This four year old son of Dubawi has won five of his seven races during his career and this season has really come to life missing 2018 and trying to make up for it.

He started his season at Longchamp in the Group Two Prix d'Harcourt over 1 mile 2f and romped to victory and from there became a horse on punters radar.

He was less than impressive in his next at Longchamp again in the Group One Prix Ganay where he blew out to early and could only finish third.

However, last time out he gave the performance of his career over at Baden-baden in Germany, winning a decent Group One by a very wide margin.

This saw his rating go to 128 just 1lb behind Enable, which ultimately enters him into the frame on Sunday if going from the front like he did that day.

Trainer - Katsuhiko Sumii

Jockey - Christophe Soumillon

The first of the Japanese runners is Kiseki and this five year old really does have it all to do in this field not having a win to his name all season and showing the gulf in class between some of these runners having finished behind them already this year.

Last time out he ran over course and distance at Longchamp and finished third of four runners in the Prix Niel behind Waldgeist and with him not even setting the standard in the contest he can be opposed.

Trainer - Masahiro Otake

Jockey - Yuga Kawada

Another Japanese exploit who holds a slightly better chance is Blast Onepiece but still the colt will have to come one a huge amount from that he has done this season to be involved.

He got off the mark for the season last time out at Sapporo in a Group Two event over 1 mile 2 furlongs and although looking the best of the Japanese team of runners it would take a miracle for him to be involved especially stepping up in trip.

Trainer - Takahisa Tezuka

Jockey - Christophe Lemaire

The final runner from Japan is a horse that will be running over the Arc distance for the first time in his career which could play to his strengths or do he opposite.

The four year olds best performances have come over longer distances on firm ground so he won't be wanting any of the expected rain showers to come, but he should certainly have enough in the tank to stay the distance.

Trainer - Vaclav Luka Jr

Jockey - Mikael Barzalona

Nagano Gold will be representing Czech Republic on Arc day and as the 80/1 outsider of the field it looks as if the team are very much happy to get a runner in this great race.

The five year old ran to superb standard at Royal Ascot in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes finishing strongly in behind Defoe but last time out was poor at Deauville in a Group Two and off the back of that should struggle in this company.

Trainer - John Gosden

Jockey - Frankie Dettori

Enable is the horse to beat as she is in every race she contests but this race holds plenty of added pressure for the jockey, trainer and connections as she is on the break of rewriting the history books if she goes on to win her third consecutive Arc.

Enable has raced 14 times in her career going on to win 13 of them and including all these victories, 10 of them came in Group One company spread across three different countries.

She is unbeaten in her last 12 races, looking at her peak even at the older age of five and there is no other horse in the world that can currently compete with her.

She is a horse in a million and what could possibly be her last ever run on a racecourse she is bidding to become the greatest flat horse to ever grace the sport.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Donnacha O'Brien

Magical has been a very unlucky horse this season running to a very high standard this season and is said to be in the form of her life at home.

She has ran six times this season winning her first three all over in Ireland and picking up a nice Group One in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Her last two runs have been in England and she has been an unlucky loser in both of them falling short behind Crystal Ocean in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes and again in the Coral Eclipse behind Enable.

Last time out she dominated a strong field and proved she is a different animal on Irish home soil when putting in a breath taking performance in the Irish Champion Stakes to land the glory.

She is a honest contender in the Arc but having to reverse the form with Enable looks a steep task but each way claims not out the picture at all.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Ryan Moore

The second favourite currently in the Arc market and clear threat to Enable is Aidan O'Brien's Japan who was an expensive recruit for the yard bought for 1.3 million Guineas but this season has started to repay that.]

As a two year old he showed clear signs of potential when scoring on his final start as a juvenile in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes.As a three year old Japan has turned into the horse everyone thought he would be still taking some time to find his feet at the start of this season campaign when fourth in the Dante Stakes on debut.

However, from there it has been nothing but progression finishing a narrow third in the Epsom Derby and has since been unbeaten in his last three starts.

The first was at Royal Ascot in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes where he hacked up and really made a statement, since then he has landed back to back Group One contests.

The first over the course and distance of the Arc at Paris Longchamp in the Grand Prix de Paris and his latest and arguably his best performance to date when staying on well to land the Juddmonte International at York.

This again will be his toughest test to date having to take on Enable but the three year old looks to hold the strongest chance in the field.

Trainer - Jean-Claude Rouget

Jockey - Yutaka Take

The latest edition to the Arc party is Jean-Claude Rouget's Soft Light who is another smart contender but again looks to be a few classes behind some of these runners.

This trainer is looking for his first win in the race and with this three year old being supplemented for the contest late in the day means he must be going well at home.

However, a serious career best needs to be in the offing to be anywhere near the winners enclosure at Paris Longchamp on Sunday.

Trainer - Jean-Claude Rouget

Jockey - Cristian Demuro

What looks to be France biggest chance on Sunday Sottsass for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget who has never won this race in its history and arguably has his best chance for a long time.

The three year old has been superb throughout this season, using her first run of the season to get back to fitness and then in his last three runs is unbeaten.

Back in May the French exploit landed a Listed contest on soft ground over 1 mile 2 furlongs, from there he entered his first Group One of the season in the French Derby.

An outsider of the field, he went on to score beating some serious challengers which truly put him on the radar and now if stepping up to 1 mile 4f in good style could be an Arc hopeful for his trainer.

He did just that on his latest start over course and distance for the Arc at Longchamp, winning the Group Two Prix Niel in taking style, being very short for room the whole way round but still getting up close home to win.

He is an unknown entity to the British and Irish raiders and on his home soil could cause another upset.