Sunday 6th October is the day; Longchamp is the place, for the biggest 1m4f turf contest of the global racing year. For fans of top-tier racing excellence, few contests set the pulse racing quite like the magnificent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Group 1 glory, a place in the history books, and the small matter of just shy of £2.5m money await the winner – no surprise that this is one of the most coveted contests amongst trainers, jockeys, and owners.
To win one Arc features high on the wish list of many top trainers, but to do so is no easy task in a race which attracts the crème de la crème from France, Britain, Ireland, Germany, Japan, and beyond. The fact that Aidan O’Brien has only managed to win the race twice is a testament to the difficulty of the challenge. All of these factors make the record of a certain French trainer incredibly impressive.
Andre Fabre – The Arc Master
Having completed the set of British Classics, Andre Fabre will be familiar to British racing fans.
A Group 1 winner around the world, the Chantilly-based handler has claimed the French Training Championship on no fewer than 30 occasions. Wow! Many highlights have peppered this era of dominance, including 14 Grand Prix de Paris victories, eight wins in the French 1000 Guineas, 4 in the French Derby, and a record-setting eight in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe…
- 1987 – Trempolino – Four years into his training career, Fabre reached the summit of the French racing game with this son of Sharpen Up, who warmed up with a win in the Prix Niel before smashing the Longchamp course record on the big day
- 1992 – Subotica – “not a champion but not a bad horse” in the words of Fabre, Subotica, nevertheless conquered a field including Dr Devious (Derby and Irish Champions Stakes hero), User Friendly (Oaks, Irish Oaks, and St. Leger winner), and St. Jovite (Irish Derby and King George champ)
- 1994 – Carnegie – By Sadler’s Wells and out of the Arc winner Detroit, Carnegie was bred to get the job done and made no mistake when getting up by a head to deny Hernando
- 1997 – Peintre Celebre – The greatest of Fabre’s Arc winners, the prodigiously talented Peintre Celebre slammed a field containing Pilsudski, Swain, and Helissio by a resounding five lengths
- 1998 – Sagamix – The late-maturing Sagamix delivered the first of Fabre’s back-to-back Arc victories. Only making his debut in March 1998, the colt rocketed to the head of the market on the back of three successive wins and got up in the shadow of the post to deny Prix Vermeille heroine Leggera
- 2005 – Hurricane Run – Following in the hoofprints of his brilliant sire, Montjeu, this Michael Tabor-owned star scorched home to score by 2l from Westerner
- 2006 – Rail Link – Twelve months later, Fabre was at it again – this time with the Juddmonte-owned Rail Link, who lowered the colours of the defending champ Hurricane Run, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Pride, and Japanese sensation Deep Impact
- 2019 – Waldgeist – This was supposed to be the year that Enable became the first three-time winner of the iconic race. The John Gosden great saw off 11 of her 12 rivals only to be undone by the relentless Waldgeist, who forged 1¾l clear in near bottomless ground
Three Go to War in 2024
Given that mighty record, anything Fabre sends in pursuit of Arc glory looms large on the radar of punters. This year sees the 79-year-old send the following three into battle as he takes aim at win number nine.
Sosie
Six of Fabre’s eight winners were three years of age. Flying the flag for Fabre’s Classic generation in 2024 is this son of the mighty Sea The Stars, who claimed the 2009 edition of this. Sosie has some way to go to match his sire but has made a hugely encouraging start with wins in the Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel on Trials Day.
Mqse De Sevigne
With eight wins since 2008, the fillies and mares have an excellent record in the Arc. Fabre will hope that this five-year-old by Siyouni can continue that trend. Arriving on a hot streak, with wins in her past four starts, she steps up to this trip for this first time and is drawn widest of all but may rise to the challenge.
Sevenna’s Knight
Yet to win over shorter than 1m6f, stamina is the name of the game with this Camelot colt. On quick ground, he may struggle to keep tabs on the principles, but his chance increases with every drop of rain which hits the track.