Longchamp Weekend.
The biggest day of the year in French racing did not disappoint with an excellent renewal of the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) in driving rain alongside a fantastic supporting card featuring six other Group One races.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day dawned overcast with rain predicted throughout the afternoon. Rain arrived fifteen minutes before the big race which did make conditions more testing.
Seven Group One (G1) races and two handicaps made up the programme.
France was successful in the first two races taking both two-year-old G1 races. Trainer André Fabre caused a surprise, winning the Prix Jean-Luc Lagadère over 1400m with the outsider in the field Belbek. For owner Nurlan Bizakov, a relatively new-comer to French racing, this completed a big weekend having won the Haras de Bouquetot-Critérium Arqana the previous day with Souzak.
The Prix Marcel Boussac saw a generational change with the famous French racing dynasty of the 'Head' family continuing their long tradition through Christopher, grandson of Alec (who passed away earlier this year), son of Freddy (who has announced his retirement from the end of this season) and nephew of Criquette landing his first Group One in what has been a short training career with Blue Rose Cen securing victory by 5 lengths. This gave stallion Churchill another G1 in France as the underrated stallion is also the sire of Vadeni, winner of the Prix du Jockey Club and runner-up in the 'Arc'.
Lady Princess gave leading trainer of Arab bred horses Thomas Fourcy the weekend double finding success in the G1 Arab Bred. Always looked a winner throughout the race, she comfortably won the Arabian World Cup.
Following the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (see separate article), the fillies and mares contested the Prix de l'Opera over 2000m. Always a classy race, this year the two Classic winners – Nashwa (Prix de Diane) and Tuesday (Epsom Oaks) – were both well fancied to win, but it was Place du Carrousel who handled the soft conditions to come with a strong finish and give André Fabre a G1 double. Record books show this was only the master-trainer's second win in the race since 1997.
A big field of sprinters contested the Prix de l'Abbaye. There have been two-year-old's who have contested this race in previous years however the last youngster to win the race was Sigy in 1978. This year The Platinum Queen was able to win. Drawn close to the near-side rail, she was brave and strong at the end of the course. Added maturity in her racing was also obvious. She had previously finished second at York (UK) tackling the Nunthorpe Stakes also run over 1000m in August.
The last of the Group One races was the Prix de Foret. This is the only 1400m G1 race in France for open company and was won by Kinross, a horse rewarded with a G1 victory following two successive G2 wins in Britain at York and Doncaster. Appreciating the track conditions, jockey Frankie Dettori gave him a perfect ride to improve from his fourth in the race last year.
