Sunday 5th October 2025
Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe Day
We get things underway on Arc Day at Longchamp at 12.40, and it’s the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac, which kicks off a whole host of top-level action. Aidan O’Brien’s Diamond Neckless and the Christopher Head trained Green Spirit are both battling it out at the top of the market here at the time of writing; both are unbeaten, and both look exciting. However, I’ve tried to take them on with one at a bigger price, and that’s Karl Burke’s Aylin under David Egan. She’s a progressive-looking filly herself and won the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster when last seen, staying on strongly in the closing stages when upped to a mile. There should be more to come from her, and she won’t mind the likely soft going.
Next up is the 1.15, and this is the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, which is contested over seven furlongs. I like a home challenger here in the form of Nighttime for Christopher Head and Maxime Guyon. He’s won his last three starts, including a Listed event at Deauville, and most recently, a Group 3 event over course and distance on soft ground, when he didn’t have a straightforward run. That was his first outing following a three-month break, and he should be spot on for this. He looks like a big player for his top connections.
The third race of the day is the 1.50 and the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye, which is run over five furlongs. This is one of the most competitive top-flight sprints in the world, and in this year’s renewal, I’ve come down on Monteille for Mario Baratti and Christian Demuro. She’s a dual Group 3 winner this term, including over course and distance on her most recent appearance. She also ran with credit in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot this summer when two and a half lengths behind American Affair. She’s got the plum draw in stall one here, and I think she’s got every chance of running well.
We move on to the big one at 3.05, the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over a mile and four furlongs. Minnie Hauk will be extremely popular among punters here following her supplement for Aidan O’Brien, and Aventure is the one that the French would probably put forward as their best chance. I’m actually siding with a Japanese contender, though, and that comes in the form of Byzantine Dream for Tomoyasu Sakaguchi and Oisin Murphy. He won the Group 2 Prix Foy with a bit up his sleeve over course and distance last time out on Trials Day, getting the better of the very useful and multiple Group 1 winner Sosie. Murphy has won two from two on the Japanese raider, and I think he’s got every chance of going well here at a nice price.
The top-flight action continues after the feature with the 3.50, and this is the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera over a mile and two furlongs. The English & Irish yards currently dominate the betting here, and I think that the David Menuisier trained Tamfana could go very close here with Colin Keane on board. She won the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes twelve months ago and comes into the race fresh, having not been seen since the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury back in May. Menuisier should have her spot on for this, and she’ll have no issue with any cut in the ground, which is highly likely to be the case.
Concluding the blog at Longchamp on Sunday will be the 4.25, and this is the Group 1 Prix de la Foret over seven furlongs. I’m quite strong on the chances of Zarigana here for Francis-Henri Graffard and Mickael Barzalona. She’s a Group 1 winner over a mile at this track, and this drop down to seven could be the correct move, given how strongly she travels without always seeing her races out. She’s been given a break following her half of a length second in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot back in June, and I think that she has the best form on offer here.
12.40: Aylin – 8/1 (Each-Way)
1.15: Nighttime – 3/1 (Win)
1.50: Monteille – 15/2 (Each-Way) (4 places)
3.05: Byzantine Dream – 12/1 (Each-Way) (4 places)
3.50: Tamfana – 5/1 (Each-Way) (NB) (4 places)
4.25: Zarigana – 11/2 (Each-Way) (NAP) (4 places)
