Luxembourg heads 27 still in Arc contention

Simon Milham
September 26, 2022 10:57 am

Alpinista and Vadeni also feature after first forfeits.

All the major contenders stood their ground at the first forfeit stage ahead of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with 27 horses remaining in Sunday’s ParisLongchamp highlight.

Australian star Verry Elleegant is set to be supplemented on Wednesday with a maximum field of 20 allowed.

Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Alpinista and Adayar from Charlie Appleby’s yard are towards the head of the ante-post betting and all remain on course.

There is a strong Japanese challenge with Titleholder, Do Deuce, Stay Foolish and Deep Bond all still in the mix.

Luxembourg beat Onesto (right) and Vadeni (green) in the Irish Champion Stakes and the three meet again (Donall Farmer/PA)

Last year’s winner Torquator Tasso, John and Thady Gosden’s Mishriff and Mostahdaf, French Derby and Eclipse winner Vadeni, Irish Derby hero Westover and Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto are all in a seemingly open renewal.

Clerk of the course Charles de Cordon said on Monday morning that with five millimetres of rain falling over the weekend, conditions were good to soft (3.4) on the penetrometer, with a Going Stick reading of 8.2.

The rail will be out at 17 metres on Saturday for the first day of the meeting, preserving a fresh strip of ground, and set back on Sunday to its innermost line.

There will be a five-metre cutaway in operation for the last 50 metres, which equates to just over two furlongs up the home straight, designed to ease congestion. This will also offer an additional five metres of fresh ground.

Torquator Tasso won the Arc last year (Scoopdyga/France Galop)

While the last three Arcs have been run on very testing ground, officials are hopeful that rainfall will be limited this week.

De Cordon said: “The forecast today is for between 8mm and 10mm and there is an 80 per cent chance that will happen. Tomorrow (Tuesday) there is a 35 per cent chance that between 2mm and 4mm of rain will fall.

“On Friday, a further 2-5mm of rain could come, with a 50 per cent chance of that happening.

“The target is to have good to soft or soft ground. No watering is planned as it stands.

“If there was no rain until Wednesday, then we would consider watering the track, but not a lot, because the main target is to have the ground good to soft.”

Connections of promising filly La Parisienne are growing in confidence ahead of her bid.

Trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner, and co-owned by Kentucky-based Peter Bradley, the three-year-old daughter of Zarak won her first two starts and has been placed in three subsequent runs, the last twice in Group Ones.

Sweet Lady wins the Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille at @paris_longchamp. pic.twitter.com/lGBTj0uSTB
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 11, 2022

Though her future may lay in America, the filly who cost the Lerners just EURO 65,000 as a yearling in 2020, is set to take her chance in the Arc, for which she is as short as 12-1 with Paddy Power.

Yann Lerner said: “Everything is well with her. She looked well after her last race – it wasn’t too hard on her. She was fresh and there has been no problem with her preparation for the Arc.

“She ran well behind Nashwa previously and last time she was very unlucky.

“The race was easy for her and after the race, she looked like she would improve a lot for it. She has worked very well and we are very happy with her. Gerald Mosse will ride her at Longchamp again.”