Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
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| Location | Longchamp Racecourse Paris, France |
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| Inaugurated | 1920 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Qatar |
| Website | france-galop.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,400 metres (1½ miles) |
| Track | Turf, right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up excluding geldings |
| Weight | 56 kg (3yo); 59½ kg (4yo+) Allowances 1½ kg for fillies and mares |
| Purse | €4 million(2010) Distribution 1st: 57.14%, 2nd: 22.86% 3rd: 11.43%, 4th: 5.71% 5th: 2.86% |
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.
Popularly referred to as the "Arc", it is the most prestigious horse race in Europe, and one of the most renowned international events in any sport. Many of its winners are subsequently regarded as champions, and its roll of honour features such highly acclaimed horses as Ribot, Sea Bird, Dancing Brave, Zarkava, Sea The Stars and Danedream. It is currently the world's third richest horse race on turf, after the Melbourne Cup and Japan Cup.
A slogan of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, first used on a promotional poster in 2003, describes the event as "Ce n'est pas une course, c'est un monument" – "Not so much a race as a monument".
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins
The former governing body of French racing, the Société d'Encouragement, had initially restricted its races to thoroughbreds which were born and bred in France. In 1863, however, it launched a new event, the Grand Prix de Paris, which was designed to bring together the best three-year-olds from any country. Thirty years later it introduced a second international event, the Prix du Conseil Municipal, which enabled the leading horses of different age groups to compete against each other. This race was run over 2,400 metres in October, and its conditions included "overweights and underweights", a handicap system based on the previous performances of the participating horses.
The creation of a third such race was proposed by the Société d'Encouragement at a committee meeting on 24 January 1920. The new event, like its predecessors, would take place at Longchamp. It was to be an international race to complement the Grand Prix de Paris, and it would serve as a showcase for French thoroughbred breeding. It would have similar characteristics to the Prix du Conseil Municipal, but unlike that event it would use the weight for age system, with each horse competing on equal terms, unpenalised for previous victories.
Coming in the wake of World War I, it was decided that the race would be named after the Arc de Triomphe, a famous monument in Paris which had been the scene of a victory parade by the Allies in 1919. The title Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe had been previously assigned to a minor event at Longchamp. Another suggested title had been the Prix de la Victoire.
[edit] Race history
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was first run on Sunday 3 October 1920. The inaugural running was won by Comrade, a three-year-old colt owned by Evremond de Saint-Alary. The winner's prize was 150,000 francs.
The event secured state funding in 1935 by the means of a lottery, which awarded prizes according to the race result and the drawing of lots. The system was first used in 1936, and it continued until 1938. The "Arc" was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was switched to Le Tremblay in 1943 and 1944, where it was run over 2,300 metres. It returned to Longchamp in 1945.
Government funding of the race resumed in 1949, with money obtained through the Loterie Nationale. Offering an attractive jackpot of 50 million francs, this enabled a rapid increase of the prizes for both the "Arc" and its supporting races. By the 1970s, however, the assistance of the lottery had diminished, and the system was finally discontinued after the 1982 running. Since then the "Arc" has had several sponsors, including Trusthouse Forte, CIGA Hotels and Groupe Lucien Barrière.
The present sponsor of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC). The sponsorship agreement between France Galop and the QREC was signed in Doha in 2008, and it covers the five runnings of the "Arc" from 2008 to 2012. As a result of this deal the prize fund of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was doubled from €2 million to €4 million. It has thus become one of the world's richest horse races, which include the Dubai World Cup, the Japan Cup and the Melbourne Cup. The purse for the whole weekend of the "Arc" meeting now stands at €6.7 million (about US$ $10 million). It includes seven races classed at Group 1 level, and four with Group 2 status.
[edit] Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Ksar – 1921, 1922
- Motrico – 1930, 1932
- Corrida – 1936, 1937
- Tantieme – 1950, 1951
- Ribot – 1955, 1956
- Alleged – 1977, 1978
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Jacques Doyasbère – Djebel (1942), Ardan (1944), Tantieme (1950, 1951)
- Freddy Head – Bon Mot (1966), San San (1972), Ivanjica (1976), Three Troikas (1979)
- Yves Saint-Martin – Sassafras (1970), Allez France (1974), Akiyda (1982), Sagace (1984)
- Pat Eddery – Detroit (1980), Rainbow Quest (1985), Dancing Brave (1986), Trempolino (1987)
Leading trainer (7 wins):
- André Fabre – Trempolino (1987), Subotica (1992), Carnegie (1994), Peintre Celebre (1997), Sagamix (1998), Hurricane Run (2005), Rail Link (2006)
Leading owner (6 wins):
- Marcel Boussac – Corrida (1936, 1937), Djebel (1942), Ardan (1944), Caracalla (1946), Coronation (1949)
[edit] Winners
(*) Race Record
1 Cadum finished first in 1925, but he was relegated to second place following a Stewards' Inquiry.
2 The 1943 and 1944 editions were run at Le Tremblay over 2,300 metres.
3 Midnight Sun dead-heated for first in 1959, but he was placed second after a Stewards' Inquiry.
4 Sagace finished first in 1985, but he was demoted to second following a Stewards' Inquiry.
[edit] Miscellaneous information
- Fastest winning time – 2m 24.49s – Danedream (2011)
- Widest margin of victory – 6 lengths – Ribot (1956), Sea Bird (1965), Sakhee (2001)
- Oldest winning horse – 7-years-old – Motrico (1932)
- Leading sire of Arc winners – Bruleur (4 wins) – Ksar (1921, 1922), Priori (1925), Samos (1935)
- Most runners – 30 in 1967 (the present maximum is 20)
- Fewest runners – 7 in 1941
- Fillies and mares – eighteen wins – Pearl Cap (1931), Samos (1935), Corrida (1936, 1937), Nikellora (1945), Coronation (1949), La Sorellina (1953), San San (1972), Allez France (1974), Ivanjica (1976), Three Troikas (1979), Detroit (1980), Gold River (1981), Akiyda (1982), All Along (1983), Urban Sea (1993), Zarkava (2008), Danedream (2011)
- The 1947 winner, Le Paillon, was a top class hurdler who was runner-up in that year's Champion Hurdle.
- Criquette Head-Maarek, the trainer of the 1979 winner Three Troikas, remains the only woman to have trained an Arc winner.
- The third-placed horse in 2006, Deep Impact, was later disqualified after testing positive for the banned substance ipratropium.
- Wins by country trained
France – (64 wins)
Great Britain – (10) – Parth (1923), Migoli (1948), Mill Reef (1971), Rheingold (1973), Rainbow Quest (1985), Dancing Brave (1986), Carroll House (1989), Lammtarra (1995), Sakhee (2001), Marienbard (2002), Workforce (2010)
Ireland – (7) – Ballymoss (1958), Levmoss (1969), Alleged (1977, 1978), Sinndar (2000), Dylan Thomas (2007), Sea the Stars (2009)
Italy – (6) – Ortello (1929), Crapom (1933), Ribot (1955, 1956), Molvedo (1961), Tony Bin (1988)
Germany – (2) – Star Appeal (1975), Danedream (2011)
- Wins by country foaled
- France – (44 wins)
- Ireland – (17) – Parth (1923), Migoli (1948), Vaguely Noble (1968), Levmoss (1969), Rheingold (1973), Star Appeal (1975), Tony Bin (1988), Carroll House (1989), Carnegie (1994), Montjeu (1999), Sinndar (2000), Marienbard (2002), Dalakhani (2003), Hurricane Run (2005), Dylan Thomas (2007), Zarkava (2008), Sea the Stars (2009)
United States – (14) – Mill Reef (1971), San San (1972), Allez France (1974), Ivanjica (1976), Alleged (1977, 1978), Rainbow Quest (1985), Dancing Brave (1986), Trempolino (1987), Suave Dancer (1991), Urban Sea (1993), Lammtarra (1995), Peintre Celebre (1997), Sakhee (2001)- Great Britain – (7) – Comrade (1920), Ballymoss (1958), Saint Crespin (1959), Prince Royal (1964), Akiyda (1982), Saumarez (1990), Rail Link (2006)
- Italy – (6) – Ortello (1929), Crapom (1933), Nuccio (1952), Ribot (1955, 1956), Molvedo (1961)
- Germany – (1) – Danedream (2011)
- Winner's previous race (since 1980; won unless stated)
- Prix Niel – Trempolino, Carnegie, Helissio, Peintre Celebre (2nd), Sagamix, Montjeu, Sinndar, Dalakhani, Bago (3rd), Hurricane Run, Rail Link
- Prix Foy – Gold River (3rd), All Along (2nd), Sagace, Subotica (2nd)
- Irish Champion Stakes – Carroll House, Suave Dancer, Dylan Thomas, Sea the Stars
- Prix Vermeille – Detroit (3rd), Akiyda (2nd), Zarkava
- King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – Rainbow Quest (3rd), Lammtarra, Workforce
- Select Stakes – Dancing Brave
- Premio Federico Tesio – Tony Bin
- Prix du Prince d'Orange – Saumarez
- Prix Gontaut-Biron – Urban Sea
- International Stakes – Sakhee
- Grosser Preis von Baden – Marienbard, Danedream
- Major races at the 2009 Arc meeting
- Saturday:
- France Arabian Breeders' Challenge (for purebred Arabian), Prix Chaudenay, Prix de Royallieu, Prix Daniel Wildenstein, Prix Dollar
- Sunday:
- Prix du Cadran, Prix de l'Abbaye, Prix Marcel Boussac, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, Prix de la Forêt, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Arabian World Cup (for purebred Arabian) Prix de l'Opéra
[edit] References
- Racing Post:
- galop.courses-france.com:
- france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2009).
- pedigreequery.com – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – Longchamp.
- prixarcdetriomphe.com – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
- tbheritage.com – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
- The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. 1993. p. 190. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.
[edit] See also
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