Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing from the Longchamp Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe Card on 2 October 2022.
Check out Neil's video preview for this meeting below:
Race 1 QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDERE GRAND CRITERIUM (Group 1)
No2 SHARTASH ( Nap)
Trainer: Johnny Murtagh – Jockey: Ben Coen
With SHARTASH and Pivotal Trigger in the field along with THE ANTARCTIC, Ireland has a strong hand to take out a fascinating opener to one of the best single day’s racing of the year. Shartash is a perfect yardstick granted his clashes with Blackbeard, Little Big Bear and Al Riffa in all the best colts’ races in the Emerald Isle this summer. His claims are rock solid, and boosted by the fact that he’s shown he can handle cut in the ground.
With rain forecast early on Sunday morning the necessity to go in the soft will be a major factor but THE ANTARCTIC has no problems on that score. He landed a Group 3 at Deauville on good to soft, then ran a cracker to finish third to stablemate Blackbeard in the Middle Park.
Christopher Head’s TIGRAIS could prove the best of the home contingent but this race looks like going overseas.
Race 2 QATAR PRIX MARCEL-BOUSSAC CRITERIUM DES POULICHES (Group 1)
No7 HABANA (Each Way)
Trainer: Andreas Wohler – Jockey: Eduard Pedroza
This has been won by some great fillies over the years, including Allez France and Zarkava, but for the 2022 renewal it looks open. WED is an interesting contender after trotting up on her first run in France in the Group 2 Prix du Calvados, while KELINA defends a two-race unbeaten record for Carlos Laffon-Parias after smoothly delivering at Deauville and Chantilly.
The daughter of Frankel makes her Longchamp debut carrying a big home reputation, but the one that could trump both of them is HABANA. Representing a German trainer who knows all about Group 1 success, she needs to show that her two successes in lesser company can manifest themselves into the improvement that brings with it Group 1 glory.
Race 4 QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE (Group 1)
No2 TORQUATOR TASSO (Each Way)
Trainer: M Weiss/Schweiz – Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Europe’s greatest race is deeper than ever with challengers from England, Ireland, Germany and Japan to add to the home contingent. A field of 20 will encounter soft underfoot conditions after what has been an inclement start to the weekend in Paris. Steady rain persisted through the early hours of Saturday, and while that tide was stemmed through much of the day there’s more forecast for Sunday morning.
Hollywoodbets’ 11-4 favourite LUXEMBOURG tried a mile and a half for the first time after a career-best effort to take out the Irish Champion Stakes. The son of Camelot needs to show that he appreciates easy conditions, but has a good draw from which Ryan Moore can orchestrate his plan of attack.
Sir Mark Prescott’s admirable filly ALPINISTA bids to give distaffers an eighth success in the Arc since 2010. The much-traveled Yorkshire Oaks winner will have no problems with the going, whilst her trainer is breaking a 20 year gap since his last visit to Longchamp.
The 2021 victor TORQUATOR TASSO has enjoyed a near-perfect preparation for this attempt to go back-to-back. After winning at Group 2 level in Hamburg the chestnut chased home Pyledriver on unsuitably quick ground in the ‘King George’ at Ascot, then failed by a head to stave off countryman MENDOCINO on home soil in the Grosser-Preis Von Baden. Owing to contractual reasons Rene Piechulek is unable to reunite with ‘Torquator’, leaving the door open for Frankie Dettori to take the reins in what could be the jockey’s last Arc.
France’s champion trainer Jean-Claude Rouget fires a twin assault on the prize headed by Prix du Jockey Club hero and Coral-Eclipse winner VADENI, but there are reservations behind the challenge, with doubts over his ability to stay on a testing surface.
AL HAKEEM could therefore be a value play, as he had too much to do when fourth in the French Derby and recently demonstrated his well-being with a snug Group2 triumph at Deauville.
Those seeking out a roughie with stronger claims than its price reflects might consider ONESTO, who in a first time tongue tie was only half a length adrift of Luxembourg in the Irish Champion.
Prediction: 1st TORQUATOR TASSO, 2nd Al Hakeem, 3rd Onesto, 4th Alpinista, 5th Mendocino, 6th Luxembourg
Race 5 PRIX DE L’OPERA (Group 1)
No12 ABOVE THE CURVE ( Each Way)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Ryan Moore
There’s plenty for bettors to get their teeth into in the Opera, with Frankel filly NASHWA looking the best chance of a winner at the meeting for trainer John Gosden. The Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes winner has formed a fine understanding with Hollie Doyle, and the combination are all set to take away another big cheque.
ROSACEA is one to consider for all exotics at a longer price, having been found to have a back issue after her defeat in the Prix de la Nonette at Deauville.
TUESDAY is a top-class filly, but has had three races since her dramatic Cazoo Oaks success and now turns out for an eighth time this season.
LA PARISIENNE is re-routed here after failing to get into the Arc and is herself almost the same filly as Nashwa based on her paper-thin defeat in the Diane.
But the filly that could trump them all is ABOVE THE CURVE, who has been almost faultless in her 3yo campaign with three successes from only four starts, culminating in a game delivery in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh. This strapping individual has plenty to recommend her and can produce the necessary improvement to maintain her impressive sequence.
Prediction: 1st ABOVE THE CURVE, 2nd Nashwa, 3rd La Parisienne, 4th Rosacea
Race 6 PRIX DE L’ABBAYE DE LONGCHAMP LONGINES (Group 1)
No19 THE PLATINUM QUEEN
Trainer: Richard Fahey – Jockey: Hollie Doyle
A field of 19 makes the Abbaye wide open, though one runner we know will stay out of trouble is confirmed trailblazer THE PLATINUM QUEEN. As the only two-year-old in the field, the Cotai Glory filly enjoys a big weight allowance, while the track and ground should not inconvenience her style of racing. After defeats in the Nunthorpe and Flying Childers Stakes she can maintain her progression to make this a first Group 1 triumph.
In what could otherwise become a turkey shoot horses like COEUR DE PIERRE, MITBAAHY and TEES SPIRIT will all go into my own permutations.
Race 7 QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET PRESENTE PAR EDUCATION (Group 1)
No1 KINROSS
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Anyone looking to jump out of jail might looks towards KINROSS as banker material for the massively in-form Beckett stable with Dettori in the irons. The Kingman gelding has really come of age after taking out both the City Of York Stakes and the Park Stakes at Doncaster. He’s probably got more to offer, and can have the whip hand over Matron Stakes third TENEBRISM and the Andrew Balding-trained SANDRINE.
