- THE QATAR ARC TRIALS -

The Sunday 13th October ParisLongchamp racecourse played host to Qatar Arc Trials day. 

Just three weeks before Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, three separate events give us some clues before the big day. 

Three races, two Group 1s and a Group 2, to prepare for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Thoroughbred World Championship which will take place on the 4^th October. 

Three weeks until this huge event, now it’s time to find out who is ready to take part in the greatest race in the world!

The Qatar Prix Vermeille, a Group 1 for 3-year-old and older fillies, has attracted 10 runners. 

After Mogul’s victory in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, Ireland took a second Group 1 of the day at ParisLongchamp – the Qatar Prix Vermeille – thanks to Tarnawa (Shamardal), a filly owned by HH The Aga Khan and ridden by Christophe Soumillon. 

 
Having been held up towards the rear of mid-division, the filly coasted through the field as they took the ‘false homestraight’ towed along by the O’Brien-trained Laburnum (Galileo). She then showed a lightening turn of foot to devour long time leader Dame Malliot (Champs
Elysées) who set the early fractions under Frankie Dettori, his favourite position!  

Tarnawa went on to cross the winning line with a healthy three length margin over her rivals..  
Today, Tarnawa – a well bred compact filly bursting with a devastating turn of foot –could easily have reminded us of a certain Zarkava, the second last winner of the Vermeille for HH The Aga Khan…  

The French-trained favourite for the race, Raabihah (Sea The Stars) finished strongly and got the better of Dame Malliot in the battle for second place having been sat in last place as the field turned into the home straight..  

The Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, Group 1 for 3-year-olds, usually takes place on the 14^th July. The Covid-19 pandemic caused the date to be changed and it now  replaces the Qatar Prix Niel, the prep race for the « Classic »  generation (the 3-year-olds). 

Keeping it in the family : Mogul’s full brother Japan himself was an outstanding winner of this very race last season!  

Mogul gave his trainer Aidan O’Brien a third consecutive win in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de
Paris, having been successful with Japan in 2019 and Kew Gardens – another son of the world famous stallion Galileo – in 2018.  

Always faithful to his team, but owing to the restrictions in place due to Covid-19, Aidan O’Brien called up crack French jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot to take the ride Mogul. Pierre-Charles, nicknamed “PC” by his fans, actually won his very first Group 1 (race at the highest level) of his career in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, when riding a horse trained by Aidan O’Brien, Gallante back in July 2014.  

Mogul hasn’t had the perfect career and doesn’t have a solid string of successes to his name, unlike some of the champions trained by Aidan O’Brien. But he has always been held in very high regard by his connections, and was regularly chosen as the number one choice for
Coolmore by the stable jockey.  

Having only finished 6th in the Epsom Derby in July 2020, Mogul finally claimed a first Group 1 success in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris and is now amongst the favorites for next month’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.  

The Irish Anthony Van Dyck (Galileo) set out to make every post a winning one in the Qatar Prix Foy (Groupe 2). Sent straight to the lead, he went on to fend off all challengers up the home straight. The win meant that the Irish secured a perfect three from three in the preparation races for next month’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1).  
His biggest rival, Stradivarius (Sea the Stars), was a persistent challenger. But for the long-distance specialist, today’s 2.400m trip meant that he couldn’t show his true quality.  

- 2020 PRIZE LIST -

The day’s race programme

1 - QATAR PRIX HAXO (Handicap - 1400 meters - New Track)

Horse: PROSECCO

Jockey: P.-C. BOUDOT

Owner: E.P.E. BLOODSTOCK LTD

Trainer: A. MARCIALIS

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2 - QATAR PRIX DU PETIT COUVERT (Group 3 - 1000 meters - Straight Line)

Horse: AIR DE VALSE

Jockey: R. THOMAS

Owner: MME CORINE  BARANDE BARBE

Trainer: MME C. BARANDE BARBE

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3 - QATAR CUP PRIX DRAGON (Group 1 PA - Arabes - 2000 meters - Big Track)

- Horse: FAZZA AL KHALEDIAH

- Jockey: C. SOUMILLON

- Owner: POLSKA AKF SP. Z.O.O.

- Trainer: M. BORKOWSKI

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4 - QATAR GRAND HANDICAP DES ARC TRIALS (Handicap - 1400 meters - New Track)

- Horse: TRUE ROMANCE

- Jockey: R. THOMAS

- Owner: FH. GRAFFARD (S)

- Trainer: FH. GRAFFARD (S)

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5 - JUDDMONTE GRAND PRIX DE PARIS (Group 1 - 2400 meters - Big Track)

- Cheval : MOGUL

- Jockey : P.-C. BOUDOT

- Propriétaire : M.TABOR/D.SMITH/MME J.MAGNIER

- Entraîneur : AP. O'BRIEN

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6 -QATAR PRIX VERMEILLE (Group 1 - 2400 meters - Big Track)

- Cheval : TARNAWA

- Jockey : C. SOUMILLON

- Propriétaire : H.H. AGA KHAN

- Entraîneur : DK. WELD

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7 - QATAR PRIX FOY (Group 2 - 2400 meters - Big Track)

- Horse: ANTHONY VAN DYCK

- Jockey: M. BARZALONA

- Owner: MME J. MAGNIER/M.TABOR/D.SMITH

- Trainer: AP. O'BRIEN

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8 - QATAR PRIX DU PIN (Group 3 - 1400 meters - New Track)

- Horse: EARTHLIGHT

- Jockey: M. BARZALONA

- Owner: GODOLPHIN SNC

- Trainer: A. FABRE (S)

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9 - QATAR PRIX DU PONT DE GRENELLE (Handicap - 1400 meters - New Track)

- Horse: FEMINA

- Jockey: M. GUYON

- Owner: WERTHEIMER & FRERE

- Trainer: C. LAFFON-PARIAS

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10 - QATAR PRIX MIROMESNIL (Handicap - 1300 meters - New Track)

- Horse : PREDETERMINED

- Jockey: A.  BOURGEAIS

- Owner: JACQUES  BERTIN

- Trainer: J. BERTIN