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The 2025 Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe Weekend Meeting Thread

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

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Bonjour!

Let's parlez Franglais!

No, let's not.

But one of my favourite fixtures of the year approaches, more Group 1s than you can shake a stick at, it's the European Breeders' Cup, it makes Ascot Champions' Day look sick, and it's time to get tres excited!
 
I had one of my greatest - and imo most hilarious - social media moments when Torquator Tasso won.

Following a massive steer off the Baron Of Brighton and Lord Of Leeds, I put it up at 130 (machine) on a broadcast I linked to on Facebook and Twitter, obviously hardly anyone took any notice, as the price hardly moved, and, after it sluiced through the worst Arc ground (hence the bet) in my lifetime to become the first German winner since Star Appeal, I proclaimed myself to, in fact, be GOD, with an accompanying clip of subversive USA 90s outfit Ministry's "Psalm 69," and was promptly unfollowed by various presumably religious and overt narcissism-averse individuals.

It simply doesn't get better than that in my frankly dystopian world.

Looking forward to les declarations for this weekend at Longchamp already.
 
17 left in the Arc....

Giavellotto Marco Botti
White Birch John Joseph Murphy
Arrow Eagle Jean-Claude Rouget
Sosie Andre Fabre
Los Angeles Aidan O'Brien
Byzantine Dream Tomoyasu Sakaguchi
Estrange David O'Meara
Quisisana Francis Graffard
Kalpana Andrew Balding
Aventure Christophe Ferland
Daryz Francis Graffard
Leffard Jean-Claude Rouget
Cualificar Andre Fabre
Hotazhell Jessica Harrington
Croix Du Nord Takashi Saito
Alohi Alii Hiroyasi Tanaka
Gezora Francis Graffard
 
I think White Birch is ground dependent - for me, he's a 1m2f mud lover, who perhaps isn't quite good enough for a race like this anyway.
 
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I think this could be a ground-dependant Arc and, although the current consensus among the media lemmings is that it will be unseasonably quick on Sunday, my Gallic spies - notably "Paris Pierre," scourge of the Pari-Mutuel - tell me, and I quote, that: "Il va absolument tout pisser" (12mm rain expected) on Friday, so I'm gonna wait for now.
 
Ian_Davies said:
I think White Birch is ground dependent - for me, he's a 1m2f mud lover, who perhaps isn't quite good enough for a race like this anyway.
Click to expand...
I read today that he's not ground dependant and he stays 12f.
I don't know but my bets aren't very big.
I will probably back something else come Sunday.
I will wait to see what 'Paris Pierre' says.
 
White Birch is a horse I like a lot.

He stayed on to be third in The Derby to Auguste Rodin, but for me his finest hour was when beating the same rival by three lengths over 1m2f110yds last year on ground described as Good to Yielding.

He's had his issues since and IIRC has missed engagements reportedly due to the ground being too quick for him.

If we get that 12mm on Friday his chance is enhanced imo, but I personally think a slightly shorter trip would suit him better.

Game of opinions, though - and you are a man in scintillating form!
 

And the headline today is:​

'I've been booked to ride him since Royal Ascot' - Oisin Murphy confident of making Arc history on Byzantine Dream for Japan​


(Sorry about the bold - I can’t get rid of it on edit for some reason)
 

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