2024 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp - Arc day as it happened

Cristian Demuro celebrates after winning last year's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Ace Impact Credit: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP (Getty Images)

A warm welcome to one of the best Sundays in the racing calendar, with all eyes focussed on Paris for the 103rd Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (3.20).

The big race may lack a superstar going into it but that doesn't mean a true hero can't emerge from a 16-runner field that certainly isn't devoid of talent.   

Racing Post Ratings suggest there is 6lb between all the runners in the race and it is hard to remember an Arc where so many of the runners are genuine contenders. Now it's time to see who has it in them to deliver a champion's performance.

A brilliant card, featuring six Group 1s, kicks off with the Prix Marcel Boussac at 12.55 and we'll have all the build up and fallout from Longchamp.

Forecasts is Paris say it should dry shortly and remain so until today's action is over Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

By Chris Cook in Paris

It's a fresh morning in Paris. Turftrax report less than 1mm of overnight rain but there has been a bit more this morning - never sustained but enough to make the roads glossy. 

The thinking is that it will put back the moisture lost to Saturday's sun. It remains overcast and drizzly at 10am but forecasts say it should dry shortly and remain so until the action is over.

The going remains good to soft on the GoingStick or 'souple' at Longchamp, while a fresh strip of ground will be opened up at Longchamp today, with eight metres of unraced ground on the rail which widens to 16 metres in the straight. 

A cutaway is also being used in the home straight just over two furlongs from the finish.

Flora Of Bermuda misses Sunday's Foret at LongchampCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Revolutionnaire is out of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.30) having changed hands for €280,000 at last night's Arqana Arc Sale. He joins Christophe Clement in the US.

In the Prix de la Foret (4.40), Flora Of Bermuda also misses out. 

Maddy Playle is in the Cracking The Puzzle hot seat today and has four selections for the ITV3 races at Longchamp - including a 66-1 shot in the Arc! 

"I've chopped and changed my mind on this race having backed Delius ante-post and Continuous during the week. However, I can't resist a play on the 66-1 shot Sevenna's Knight in an ordinary renewal of the Arc," says Maddy. 

"The colt put up a career-best performance at this track over two furlongs further last time having won a Group 2 and a Group 3 here earlier this season, showing a decent turn of foot to beat the highly touted Harbour Wind. He was clearly below his best when tried over this trip in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June, but otherwise boasts the profile of an improving stayer who is worth another try at middle distances. His trainer Andre Fabre has won this race more than anyone and could pull off a shock."  

Reader Martyn David has been in touch and is focussing on the other end of the market. He makes Sosie a 2-1 shot and is ready to fill his boots. Get in touch with your thoughts by emailing us at liveblog@racingpost.com.  

At the very least the Arc is an intriguing betting heart, with most bookmakers going 9-2 the field on Sunday morning. 

Both Sosie and Los Angeles are freely available at that price and I wouldn't like to predict who will start favourite at this stage. Perhaps if Aidan O'Brien gets on a roll like he did yesterday, Los Angeles will attract more support. He's certainly been the most popular in the market over the last 24 hours. 

Nibbled at bigger prices this morning are Al Riffa and Bluestocking, while Look De Vega is weak.  

Al Riffa: form against City Of Troy stacks up well

It's great to have some interaction from readers, please keep your thoughts coming to liveblog@racingpost.com.

Rob Lewis likes the form of Al Riffa in the big one and is having a saver on Shin Emperor by the sounds of things.

Rob writes: "We don't know if City of Troy may have had a slight off day in the Coral-Eclipse but on paper I would say the best piece of form in the Arc is Al Riffa's second place, beaten just one length giving 10lb away. 

"However, I was very taken with the run of Shin Emperor in the Irish Champion Stakes. He only saw daylight close to the finish but seemed to hit the post more strongly than Los Angeles. They are my two against the field." 

By Scott Burton in Paris

One of the big questions to be answered when the stalls open at 3.20 is where the pace might come from. Haya Zark and Continuous are two potential angles but they are drawn out wide in stalls 13 and 14 respectively. 

In stall three, Bluestocking may not get much pressure from a host of confirmed hold-up horses around him. I'm sure Rossa Ryan would rather take a lead as he did in the Prix Vermeille, but expect him to take full advantage of that inside draw on a filly that stays the mile and a half well. 

She'll certainly be carrying some of my money in the expectation that the race might set up pretty well for her.

Continuous: last year's St Leger winner is a lively outsider in the Arc bettingCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

It's still neck and neck between Los Angeles and Sosie at the head of the betting for the Arc but Paddy Power has seen each-way support for Los Angeles's stablemate Continuous.  

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “We were expecting Los Angeles to go off favourite and while punters are adopting the 'in Aidan we trust' motto for the big two-year-old races, they’re getting behind Sosie this morning and we now can’t separate him and Los Angeles at the front of the market. However, there’s also a few quid knocking around each-way for Aidan’s Continuous in the Arc.”

Paddy Power market movers
12.55 Bedtime Story 3-1 (from 10-3)
1.30 Henri Matisse 2-1 (from 11-5)
2.05 Grand Grey 12-1 (from 14)
3.20 Sosie 4-1 (from 9-2), Continuous 25 (from 33)

Zarigana adds star quality to the Longchamp undercard in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac at 12.55. She’s from an esteemed family, her dam being related to a Group 1 winner and out of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava, and the impression she’s created in her two starts has been striking.

This will test her mettle to a greater degree, but it’s likely that she has the potential to answer the call and our intrepid reporter Scott Burton has already tracked her down.

This could be a big day for Field Of Gold and also for his jockey, Kieran Shoemark, who is looking to ride his first top-flight winner as number-one jockey to John and Thady Gosden.

The Prix Jean Luc Lagardere presents a stiff test - but, interestingly, it was a test John Gosden was keen to take in the minutes leading up to Field Of Gold's most recent victory in the Solario Stakes.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to the colt's Juddmonte owners, said: "John said to me in the parade ring at Sandown that if the Solario went well he would like to run in the Lagardere, so this is a long thought out plan.

"He would probably be more comfortable over a mile but with a little ease in the ground, seven furlongs should be fine. I think he could run a big race."

Field Of Gold13:30 Longchamp

View Racecard

Jky: Kieran Shoemark Tnr: John & Thady Gosden

Sunway: fancied by Russell Perrins in the big oneCredit: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Kevin Andrews and Russell Perrins are the latest readers to share their views on the Arc. Again, a difference of opinion but both seem confident a three-year-old will prevail. 

Kevin writes: "I have everything crossed for Sosie this afternoon. I thought he ran a cracker in the Prix du Jockey Club to be third as that slowly run race wouldn't have suited, especially as Andre Fabre couldn't get another run into him as he wanted. 

"I took 40-1 for the Arc the day before the Grand Prix de Paris, as I was with him for his first go at 1m4f and reasoned that price would be history if he won . . . and 16-1 immediately after his impressive win! He's improved with every run this season and I'm very confident he will improve again today."

Looking for the value, Russell writes: "I'm backing Sunway, but he needs a bit of luck in running."

By Lee Mottershead in Paris

It was in 1969 that Speed Symboli became Japan's first Arc runner but it was 25 years ago the dream of winning Europe's most prestigious Flat race was truly ignited. El Condor Pasa became the first of three Japanese horses to finish second, with Nakayama Festa in 2010 and Orfevre two years later going desperately close to immortality. Add in the fact Orfevre also took runner-up honours in 2013 and Deep Impact passed the post in third when hugely fancied in 2006, and it's fair to say Japan has suffered its fair share of Arc heartbreak.

Yoshito Yahagi, now firmly established as one of the world's top trainers following a series of high-profile international victories, is charged with righting many wrongs, and he sends Irish Champion Stakes third Shin Emperor, who must have a big shout under Ryusei Sakai. 

Emotions would also run high if Al Riffa were to win under Yutaka Take. At the age of 55, one of Japan's leading sporting celebrities has his tenth Arc mount aboard an improver who after chasing home City Of Troy in the Eclipse proved his liking for a mile and a half when dominating in a German Group 1. 

The Joseph O'Brien-trained four-year-old's credentials are obvious yet some punters will feel his chance has been compromised by new principal owner Masaaki Matsushima's decision to book Take, whose love-hate relationship with the Arc began 30 years ago when his performance on White Muzzle prompted a significant rise in trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam's blood pressure.

Award winning snapper Edward Whitaker is our man on the ground at Longchamp and has been busy soaking up the atmosphere this morning . . . 

Tom and Hollie take a strollCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Racegoers arrive at Longchamp on a damp morning Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

And leading owner Michael Tabor arrives in plenty of time Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Fantastic Moon winning the Grosser Preis von BadenCredit: Sabine Schweitzer/marcruehl.com

Connections will make a decision on whether Fantastic Moon takes his chance after the first two races at Longchamp. 

Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten of owners Liberty Racing said: "The ground is fine for him in the home straight but the false straight is a concern."

He's currently a 25-1 chance for Germany. 

Bedtime Story (left) and Simmering are the main opposition to Zarigana in the Boussac

Aidan O'Brien knocked in four winners at Longchamp on Saturday and the master of Ballydoyle starts Sunday with with two runners in the Prix Marcel Boussac.  

The form standard is set by Bedtime Story, who produced one of the leading juvenile performances of the year when bolting up in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot. l

Oddly her performance figures have gone backwards since that day, which wasn’t a concern given the opposition she’d faced until her somewhat lacklustre run in the Moyglare last time. It’s too early to write her off, but she’ll need to be the filly she looked like being at Ascot to contain Zarigana here. Exactly looks the O'Brien second string.

O'Brien said: "The Moyglare wasn't too long ago and we obviously haven't done a whole lot with either of the fillies since then. Bedtime Story jumped smart and was keen in the Moyglare, so we think that was the reason for her little bit of a disappointing run there. That's what we're putting it down to. 

"Exactly is a good, consistent filly who is going to appreciate the mile and seems in good form."

Check out out big-race preview here.

Tom Segal has three selections at Longchamp this afternoon and fancies an upset in the Arc.

Tom wrote: "Given how open the race is, it makes sense to have a dart at one at a big price and the one who catches my eye is the German-trained Fantastic Moon, who was only 11th last year. He ran a lot better than that position would suggest, though, and had been an impressive winner of the Niel prior to that.

"Fantastic Moon looked even better when running away with a high-class Group 1 at Baden-Baden last time and, provided the rain stays away, he looks sure to give it a good go at a big price from stall two."

Members' Club subscribers can find Pricewise's tips here.

Hollie Doyle rides at LongchampCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

After walking the track, Hollie Doyle told Sky Racing: "It's very wet. They've had a bit of rain this morning and it's going to be on the slow side."  

Doyle rides Bradsell in the Abbaye and hopes he will handle the ground as it's "fresh ground" on the sprint track. 

The French Republican Guard open proceedings at Longchamp Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

William Hill go 5-1 about Sosie but there's plenty of people out there backing the Prix Niel winner to give Andre Fabre a record-extending ninth success in the race.

Ian Sanderson from Barnsley says: "I’ve just taken 9-2 Sosie for the Arc as I see a three-year-old colt (the prolific age of Arc winners) that has been held back by Andre Fabre for this and is improving at the right time to take this race for the master French trainer and he has an excellent draw in five."

Another reader, Dan D’Vaz, says: "I know he's the favourite but surely Sosie should be a lot shorter. High grade form, master trainer, loves the course, ground and a good draw. And one of - if not the best - French jockey riding it in Guyon. 9-2 seems too big having put lots of his market rivals in their place this season."

Keep your thoughts coming to liveblog@racingpost.com.

1. Vertical Blue 100-1
2. Zarigana 4-7f
3. Exactly 7-1

What a start to Arc day. Zarigana, sent off the 4-7 favourite, is beaten in a photo-finish by 100-1 shot Vertical Blue. 

Christophe Soumillon blew the race apart, striking for home early on Exactly. Zarigana was good enough to reel her in but so was Vertical Blue.

The pair hit the line almost as one but it was the 100-1 shot who had her head down when it mattered. Boil over!