Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Group 1 race
Location Longchamp Racecourse
Paris, France
Inaugurated 1920
Race type Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor Qatar
Website france-galop.com
Race information
Distance 2,400 metres (1½ miles)
Surface Turf
Track Right-handed
Qualification Three-years-old and up
excluding geldings
Weight 56 kg (3yo); 59 kg (4yo+)
Allowances
1½ kg for fillies and mares
Purse €5,000,000 (2014)
1st: €2,857,000
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
2014
Treve Flintshire Taghrooda

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France 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 Europe's most prestigious horse race. Its roll of honour features many highly acclaimed horses, and its winners are often subsequently regarded as champions. It is currently the world's third richest turf race, behind the Melbourne Cup and the Japan Cup, although the 2014 purse bump to €5 million will make the Arc the world's richest turf race and second-richest horse race (behind the Dubai World 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" – "It's not a race, it's a monument".

History

Origins

The Société d'Encouragement, a former governing body of French racing, had initially restricted its races to thoroughbreds born and bred in France. In 1863, it launched the Grand Prix de Paris, an event designed to bring together the best three-year-olds from any country. Thirty years later it introduced the Prix du Conseil Municipal, an international race for the leading horses of different age groups. It was run over 2,400 metres in October, with weights determined by a horse's previous performances.

The creation of a third such race was proposed at a committee meeting on 24 January 1920. The new event would complement the Grand Prix de Paris and serve as a showcase for French thoroughbred breeding. It would have similar characteristics to the Prix du Conseil Municipal, but each horse would compete 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 which had been the scene of a victory parade by the Allies in 1919. The chosen title had been previously assigned to a minor event at Longchamp. Another suggested title was the "Prix de la Victoire".

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.

In 1935, the event secured state funding 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 run at Le Tremblay with a distance of 2,300 metres in 1943 and 1944.

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 was signed in Doha in 2008, and as a result the prize fund was doubled from €2 million to €4 million. Now, the prize for the Arc is worth €5 000 000 which makes it the richest flat race on turf.[1] Arc Weekend now includes seven races classed at Group 1 level, and four with Group 2 status. It also features the Arabian World Cup, the world's richest race for purebred Arabian horses with €1 000 000 prize-money.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):


Leading jockey (4 wins):

Leading trainer (7 wins):

Leading owner (6 wins):

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1920 Comrade 3 Frank Bullock Peter Gilpin Evremond de Saint-Alary 2:39.00
1921 Ksar 3 George Stern Walter Walton Mrs Edmond Blanc 2:34.80
1922 Ksar 4 Frank Bullock Walter Walton Mrs Edmond Blanc 2:38.80
1923 Parth 3 Frank O'Neill James Crawford A. Kingsley Macomber 2:38.20
1924 Massine 4 Albert Sharpe Elijah Cunnington Henry Ternynck 2:40.80
1925 Priori [a] 3 Marcel Allemand Percy Carter Gérard de Chavagnac 2:33.80
1926 Biribi 3 Domingo Torterolo Juan Torterolo Simon Guthmann 2:32.80
1927 Mon Talisman 3 Charles Semblat Frank Carter Edouard Martinez de Hoz 2:32.80
1928 Kantar 3 Arthur Esling Richard Carver Ogden Mills 2:38.80
1929 Ortello 3 Paolo Caprioli Willy Carter Giuseppe de Montel 2:42.80
1930 Motrico 5 Marcel Fruhinsholtz Maurice d'Okhuysen Max de Rivaud 2:44.80
1931 Pearl Cap 3 Charles Semblat Frank Carter Diana Esmond 2:38.80
1932 Motrico 7 Charles Semblat Maurice d'Okhuysen Max de Rivaud 2:44.60
1933 Crapom 3 Paolo Caprioli Federico Regoli Mario Crespi 2:41.60
1934 Brantome 3 Charles Bouillon Lucien Robert Edouard de Rothschild 2:41.80
1935 Samos 3 Wally Sibbritt Frank Carter Evremond de Saint-Alary 2:42.60
1936 Corrida 4 Charlie Elliott John Watts Marcel Boussac 2:38.60
1937 Corrida 5 Charlie Elliott John Watts Marcel Boussac 2:33.90
1938 Eclair au Chocolat 3 Charles Bouillon Lucien Robert Edouard de Rothschild 2:39.80
no race 1939–40
1941 Le Pacha 3 Paul Francolon John Cunnington, Sr. Philippe Gund 2:36.20
1942 Djebel 5 Jacques Doyasbère Charles Semblat Marcel Boussac 2:37.90
1943 Verso II [b] 3 Guy Duforez Charles Clout Hubert de Chambure 2:33.40
1944 Ardan [c] 3 Jacques Doyasbère Charles Semblat Marcel Boussac 2:35.00
1945 Nikellora 3 Rae Johnstone René Pelat Mrs Robert Patureau 2:34.80
1946 Caracalla 4 Charlie Elliott Charles Semblat Marcel Boussac 2:33.30
1947 Le Paillon 5 Fernand Rochetti William Head Lucienne Aurousseau 2:33.40
1948 Migoli 4 Charlie Smirke Frank Butters HH Aga Khan III 2:31.60
1949 Coronation 3 Roger Poincelet Charles Semblat Marcel Boussac 2:33.20
1950 Tantieme 3 Jacques Doyasbère François Mathet François Dupré 2:34.20
1951 Tantieme 4 Jacques Doyasbère François Mathet François Dupré 2:32.80
1952 Nuccio 4 Roger Poincelet Alec Head HH Aga Khan III 2:39.80
1953 La Sorellina 3 Maurice Larraun Etienne Pollet Paul Duboscq 2:31.80
1954 Sica Boy 3 Rae Johnstone Pierre Pelat Mrs Jean Cochery 2:36.30
1955 Ribot 3 Enrico Camici Ugo Penco Mario Incisa Rocchetta 2:35.60
1956 Ribot 4 Enrico Camici Ugo Penco Mario Incisa Rocchetta 2:34.80
1957 Oroso 4 Serge Boullenger Daniel Lescalle Raoul Meyer 2:33.40
1958 Ballymoss 4 Scobie Breasley Vincent O'Brien John McShain 2:37.90
1959 Saint Crespin [d] 3 George Moore Alec Head Prince Aly Khan 2:33.30
1960 Puissant Chef 3 Maxime Garcia Mick Bartholomew Henry Aubert 2:44.00
1961 Molvedo 3 Enrico Camici Arturo Maggi Egidio Verga 2:38.40
1962 Soltikoff 3 Marcel Depalmas René Pelat Simone del Duca 2:30.90
1963 Exbury 4 Jean Deforge Geoffroy Watson Guy de Rothschild 2:35.00
1964 Prince Royal 3 Roger Poincelet Georges Bridgland Rex Ellsworth 2:35.50
1965 Sea Bird 3 Pat Glennon Etienne Pollet Jean Ternynck 2:35.50
1966 Bon Mot 3 Freddy Head William Head Walter Burmann 2:39.80
1967 Topyo 3 Bill Pyers Mick Bartholomew Suzy Volterra 2:38.20
1968 Vaguely Noble 3 Bill Williamson Etienne Pollet Wilma Franklyn 2:35.20
1969 Levmoss 4 Bill Williamson Seamus McGrath Seamus McGrath 2:29.00
1970 Sassafras 3 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Arpad Plesch 2:29.70
1971 Mill Reef 3 Geoff Lewis Ian Balding Paul Mellon 2:28.30
1972 San San 3 Freddy Head Angel Penna Countess Batthyany 2:28.30
1973 Rheingold 4 Lester Piggott Barry Hills Henry Zeisel 2:35.80
1974 Allez France 4 Yves Saint-Martin Angel Penna Daniel Wildenstein 2:36.90
1975 Star Appeal 5 Greville Starkey Theo Grieper Waldemar Zeitelhack 2:33.60
1976 Ivanjica 4 Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:39.40
1977 Alleged 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 2:30.60
1978 Alleged 4 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 2:36.50
1979 Three Troikas 3 Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 2:28.90
1980 Detroit 3 Pat Eddery Olivier Douieb Robert Sangster 2:28.00
1981 Gold River 4 Gary W. Moore Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:35.20
1982 Akiyda 3 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet HH Aga Khan IV 2:37.00
1983 All Along 4 Walter Swinburn Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 2:28.10
1984 Sagace 4 Yves Saint-Martin Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 2:39.10
1985 Rainbow Quest [e] 4 Pat Eddery Jeremy Tree Khalid Abdullah 2:29.50
1986 Dancing Brave 3 Pat Eddery Guy Harwood Khalid Abdullah 2:27.70
1987 Trempolino 3 Pat Eddery André Fabre Moussac / McNall 2:26.30
1988 Tony Bin 5 John Reid Luigi Camici Veronica del Bono Gaucci 2:37.30
1989 Carroll House 4 Michael Kinane Michael Jarvis Antonio Balzarini 2:30.80
1990 Saumarez 3 Gérald Mossé Nicolas Clément McNall / Gretzky 2:29.80
1991 Suave Dancer 3 Cash Asmussen John Hammond Henri Chalhoub 2:31.40
1992 Subotica 4 Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Olivier Lecerf 2:39.00
1993 Urban Sea 4 Eric Saint-Martin Jean Lesbordes David Tsui 2:37.90
1994 Carnegie 3 Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 2:31.10
1995 Lammtarra 3 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin M. Al Maktoum 2:31.80
1996 Helissio 3 Olivier Peslier Elie Lellouche Enrique Sarasola 2:29.90
1997 Peintre Celebre 3 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 2:24.60
1998 Sagamix 3 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 2:34.50
1999 Montjeu 3 Michael Kinane John Hammond Michael Tabor 2:38.50
2000 Sinndar 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx HH Aga Khan IV 2:25.80
2001 Sakhee 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 2:36.10
2002 Marienbard 5 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 2:26.70
2003 Dalakhani 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:32.30
2004 Bago 3 Thierry Gillet Jonathan Pease Niarchos Family 2:25.00
2005 Hurricane Run 3 Kieren Fallon André Fabre Michael Tabor 2:27.40
2006 Rail Link 3 Stéphane Pasquier André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 2:26.30
2007 Dylan Thomas 4 Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Tabor 2:28.50
2008 Zarkava 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:28.80
2009 Sea the Stars 3 Michael Kinane John Oxx Christopher Tsui 2:26.30
2010 Workforce 3 Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute Khalid Abdullah 2:35.30
2011 Danedream 3 Andrasch Starke Peter Schiergen Burg Eberstein / Yoshida 2:24.49
2012 Solemia 4 Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias Wertheimer et Frère 2:37:68
2013 Treve 3 Thierry Jarnet Criquette Head Joaan al Thani 2:32:04
2014 Treve 4 Thierry Jarnet Criquette Head Al Shaqab Racing 2:26.05

a Cadum finished first in 1925, but he was relegated to second place for hampering Priori.
b c The 1943 and 1944 editions were run at Le Tremblay over 2,300 metres.
d Midnight Sun dead-heated for first in 1959, but he was placed second for hampering Saint Crespin.
e Sagace finished first in 1985, but he was demoted to second for bumping Rainbow Quest.

Analysis

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Arc meeting receives major purse increase". brisnet.com. Retrieved 1 July 2012.