The 2023 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Sorry, Ron. I never realised that there was already a thread for the 2023 Arc...

In fairness, that is hardly surprising as I see that you started it in December 2022, five months before there were any entries and I do not tend to come on here much during the slow old plodder season.

 

No problem QM. I forgot I'd started it

 

Amanda sent some money over to her uncle to back FC ew at 100/1 before today's race; PP wouldn't let him put more the £25ew "on this horse". ****ers. Be lucky to get that price now, with 3 bookies slashing the price to 50/1

 

I got knocked back by Bet365 a couple of months ago when my mate wanted me to put an ante post on a dog for the Greyhound Derby (a friend of his is in the syndicate that owns it). They would only let me have £20 each way at 25/1 but the dog then won the Kent Plate. Last night it was odds on for a trial race at Towcester, got bumped at the second bend and finished fifth but it is still one of the favourites so I guess the trial does not matter.

 

These people aren't real bookmakers anymore, they are mean-minded and arrogant, and without doubt are the main cause of the overloaded race programmes on almost every day of the week. I think I have said many many times we'll never get rid of them in our lifetime (and that includes the youngest members on the racing forum). Their 'lobby' power with the judicial authorities who oversee horseracing in the UK is all too powerful. Just reeks of 'backhanders'? Tragedy really. horseracing would benifit so much if the money wasted on bookmakers could be put into better use for this great sport?

 

25/1 available for Vadeni after that shock flop. And I thought the 14/1 was good value

 

Well, it is a Bank Holiday weekend, so let us start an argument just for the sake of it.

Vadeni has only ever run once over twelve furlongs, when second in the Arc to Alpinista on very soft ground.

He won the Prix Du Jockey Club by five lengths (Modern Games more than five lengths third). He won the Eclipse Stakes on fast ground in a blanket finish (Bay Bridge nearly four lengths fifth, the other four runners all previous Group 1 winners). He was only third in the Irish Champion beaten nearly two lengths by today’s winner Luxembourg. Those three races were all over ten furlongs.

His record to date this year looks suspicious. He certainly looked rusty before the Prix Ganay and was not knocked about finishing fourth and he was well outgunned today. Last week the Aga Khan’s racing manager was asked about why they were choosing to run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and he simply stated that it fitted in the plans as the next target was the Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot. On this showing, I would say he has no chance there.

If he makes it to Longchamp in October and wins the Arc, will he have won anything else this term? It looks like a stupid plan warming up by running in all the premier ten furlong races before going to Paris.

 

It's what he did last year and the doubt was if he would stay 12f in a G1. Well, he proved that by running on strongly in the Arc on bottomless ground. It's as much a puzzle to me as it is to you QM

 

Is he running at Ascot next month?

 

Yes he's entered in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes (12f) on 24th, which is the race I want to see him in. He's also entered in 3 G1s over 10f, plus the Arc

 

Bookies won't take more than £25 ew for the Arc, so Amanda's uncle has a bundle to place somehow

 

She might well be after that

 

Emily now 10/1 for the Arc

 

Now 6s with some and 8s others. Auguste Rodin the new fav at 5s and 6s and blue across the board

 

That Derby time was almost as good as Emily Upjohn's yesterday. There shouldn't be much between those

I'm not writing off Vadeni on the back of 1 run this year. 25/1 is available and if he turns up in the form he was in last year, that is a ridiculous price

 

Arc odds shake up again. Unbeaten Ace Impact (unraced at 2) sweeps by Big Rock to win the French Derby by three and a half lengths. Now 10/1, from 33/1

 

This year's Arc is shaping up to be a really good one, but it will be surprising if some of the top fancies aren't pulled out before then

 

Jockey Club winner from Lord Derby breeding.

 

There was very little top draw form on offer in the Prix Du Jockey Club, other than two runners from the Poulains. When favourite Big Rock went four or five lengths clear with three furlongs to go the race looked all over; however, Ace Impact then sprouted wings, cut down the favourite and won going away by what looked more than the official three and a half lengths in a record time. Is that this year’s Vadeni, from the Rouget yard?

Both of the raiders had every chance but proved to be not good enough; however, at least I nearly doubled my money on the third each way! If we take strict form lines through the Dante form – the third and fifth at York well beaten here – then the unbeaten son of Cracksman is better than the Derby winner and should be ahead of Auguste Rodin in the Arc betting. Of course that is not how it works as there will be no liabilities on the Rouget colt.

It will be interesting to see where Ace Impact goes next. Could it be the Grand Prix de Paris on Bastille Day over the Arc course and distance or will they stick to ten furlongs and go for the Eclipse?

Will we see an Arc winner in October that started out on the kitty litter at Cagnes-sur-Mer in January?