Prix Ganay...

SlimChance said:
It will never happen. Racing is a breeding operation after all.
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Almost all other Group 1s open to older horses allow geldings - the King George, the Eclipse, the Juddmonte, the Irish Champion, the Champion Stakes etc. I can understand 2yo and 3yo Group 1s excluding geldings as standard, but the Arc stands almost alone amongst the big all-aged races.
 
On the bright side, it does mean CdA will go pot hunting through the summer (and mostly at Ascot).
 
Gareth Flynn said:
Almost all other Group 1s open to older horses allow geldings - the King George, the Eclipse, the Juddmonte, the Irish Champion, the Champion Stakes etc. I can understand 2yo and 3yo Group 1s excluding geldings as standard, but the Arc stands almost alone amongst the big all-aged races.
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The French have there own ways. The British Classics exclude geldings, but as you say geldings can compete in the majority of Pattern, including Group 1 races that are not classics. Probably their way of elevating the Arc to the status of a classic (a sort of all age classic), but as it's not restricted to the 3yo generation it can never be that status.
 
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Gareth Flynn said:
On the bright side, it does mean CdA will go pot hunting through the summer (and mostly at Ascot).
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I'd like to think the Champion Stakes can become the Arc version for 10f performers. And if the field on average is as strong as last year's over the next decade or so that may happen.
 
SteveM said:
...hasn't it always been considered that?
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Certainly not, in recent times it has been a consolation race for horses not good enough to go for the Arc or the Breeders Cup. The boost to the prize money and the more glamorous setting of Champions day at Ascot should help to return it to a higher status.
 
Grey said:
Certainly not, in recent times it has been a consolation race for horses not good enough to go for the Arc or the Breeders Cup. The boost to the prize money and the more glamorous setting of Champions day at Ascot should help to return it to a higher status.
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So you're saying it was, then it wasn't, but it might be again?
 
Bar the Bull said:
Storming Home, Rakti, Haafhd, David Junior, Pride, Literato, New Approach, Twice Over

Marienbard, Dalakhani, Bago, Hurricane Run, Rail Link, Dylan Thomas, Zarkava, Sea the Stars, Workforce.
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I don't think you can necessarily judge the quality of a race by the quality of the winner. Rodrigo de Triano, Pilsudski, Nayef and New Approach were all very good winners of the Champion Stakes in quite poor renewals.
 
Its always been one of my favourite races. Sure the increased prize money will boost it, but a more select field also doesn't mean a substandard field like the Arc you don't get too many bad winners of the Champion Stakes. I don't know another race that is a better 10 furlong equivalent of the Arc (which is what were talking about).
 
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SteveM said:
I don't know another race that is a better 10 furlong equivalent of the Arc (which is what were talking about).
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If the Juddmonte was a horse it would have a squiggle because there have been some horrendous runnings - but since I've been into racing I would think it's had more quality renewals than the CS.
 
The Juddmonte is another high class 10 furlong race but the wrong time of year to be considered "a 10 furlong equivalent of the Arc".
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grey
Certainly not, in recent times it has been a consolation race for horses not good enough to go for the Arc or the Breeders Cup. The boost to the prize money and the more glamorous setting of Champions day at Ascot should help to return it to a higher status.

Steve M: So you're saying it was, then it wasn't, but it might be again?
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Not quite. The Champion Stakes is an older race than the Arc but I don't think it ever had an equivalent status. Nevertheless it was a top notch Gr1 race which went into something of a decline due to the creation of the Breeders Cup and the big end-of-year international races in the far east. The big injection of prize money last year looks like it might raise its profile once more but it's not guaranteed.
 
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