The most famous middle distance race in Europe is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Longchamp spectacular will be all the talk this weekend as they get set to race in the Parisian suburbs.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: 5 Famous Arc Winners
The great and the good of European thoroughbreds have come and gone at Longchamp to make their mark on Arc Sunday and here we recall five of the most famous winners of the French sporting institution.
5 Famous Arc Winners: Ksar (1921 & 1922)
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was first run in 1920 and Ksar won two of the first three stagings, scoring in 1921 and 1922 for trainer Walter Walton and owner Mrs Edmond Blanc. George Stern partnered him to his first win as a three-year-old while a year later it was Frank Bullock in the plate.
Only seven horses have ever matched Ksar’s feat and – in more than 100 years of this great race – no horse has bettered his two wins. After Alleged managed to win the 1977 & 1978 runnings, another three decades would pass before it was done again.
5 Famous Arc Winners: Sea the Stars (2009)
One of the great modern-day Arc winners. The John Oxx-trained Sea The Stars won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Derby at Epsom, the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, the Juddmonte International Stakes at York, the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in a stunning three-year-old season in 2009.
Mick Kinane was patience personified at Longchamp, biding his time before powering clear to win as he pleased on this outstanding racehorse. The race was one of the finest called by ‘Aussie Jim’ with the BBC commentator Jim McGrath famously saying ‘He’s got to be a Champion to win from there. He is a Champion, I reckon!’ before ultimately getting a run and winning with his powerful turn of foot.
The race saw jockey Mick Kinane retire in the aftermath, stating he didn’t think he would find another horse of his ilk again.
5 Famous Arc Winners: Treve (2013 & 2014)
A filly by the great sire Motivator, Treve was the darling of the French racing public and her trainer Criquette Head-Maarek. The winner of two French Grade 1s in her three-year-old season she started second favourite for the 92nd running of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and came home in front under Thierry Jarnet with market leader Orfevre toiling some five lengths behind in second.
She returned to win again 12 months later beating 19 rivals but the hat-trick was denied in 2015 when she could muster only fourth as Golden Horn won under an inspired Frankie Dettori ride.
5 Famous Arc Winners: Found (2016)
Ryan Moore partnered Found to win the Arc in 2016 for trainer Aidan O’Brien and owners Coolmore. It was the standout effort of her career, which also brought Breeders’ Cup glory in the US, and it gave Moore and O’Brien their second wins in the race – though a first together for the powerful duo.
More incredibly, the Ballydoyle trainer saddled Highland Reel and Order Of St George to finish behind the winner, a remarkable one-two-three in this European showpiece.
5 Famous Arc Winners: Enable (2017 & 2018)
A filly of such rare and distinguished quality is generational but race fans were treated to another when Treve retired as Enable arrived on the scene. John Gosden’s superstar won back-to-back runnings of the Arc under Frankie Dettori, as the Italian took his record of wins to an unmatched six.
The brilliant daughter of Nathaniel would also have her crack at the hat-trick in 2020 on the final start of her career but heavy ground blunted her finishing burst and, like Treve before her, she was fourth at Sottsass won for France.
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