G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Carried out in driving rain and accompanying gloom, Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe went to Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who with her ever-whitening coat and mud-dappled white silks navigated what resembled a ploughed field like a trail of luminescence at ParisLongchamp. Taking the eye throughout as she made easy work of the swiftly-deteriorating conditions under Luke Morris, who had been in action on the all-weather at Wolverhampton the night before, the 10-3 favourite waited with all the learned patience of such a beautifully-nurtured 5-year-old for...

The all-important draw was made for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Thursday morning and it was the connections of the defending champion Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) who suffered the annual hammer blow by being handed stall 18 in the mile-and-a-half monument. In a further twist of the knife for Gestut Auenquelle's 2021 hero, fortune favoured virtually all of the other key contenders as the draw made almost a race of two halves. Kirsten Rausing's indomitable Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had her task made one notch...

The maximum number of runners in the 2022 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, Oct. 2 will be 20, France Galop announced on Tuesday. The 2022 racing code and the specific race conditions limit the number of runners to 20 and this is the number that will be retained. If needed, elimination or ballotting procedures are as follows: Runners with the lowest rating will be eliminated sequentially. The rating is decided by the France Galop Handicapper Service. In the case of horses with the same rating, eliminations...

William Buick is likely to ride John and Thady Gosden's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in the Paris Longchamp in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was ruled out of the race in favour of the G1 Champion S. at Ascot. Prince Faisal's 5-year-old is a Group 1 winner in France, Dubai, and the UK, and, although he has yet to win in 2022, he has been in the top three in three of his four starts. Runner-up to Arc rival Vadeni (Fr)...

Godolphin's Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Cazoo Derby and the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. in 2021, is likely to run in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 2, as long as he gets his desired ground, trainer Charlie Appleby confirmed on Thursday. If the going is too deep, he will instead be pointed for the Oct. 15 G1 Champion S. at Ascot. Fourth in the ParisLongchamp test last year over the heavy going, the bay was then fifth in...

Last year's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victor Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who ran a brave second in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S., returned to trainer Marcel Weiss's Mulheim base on Sunday afternoon. His trainer is targeting the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden on Sept. 4 for the chestnut, who will then return to ParisLongchamp to try for consecutive Arc victories on Oct. 2. "He was very well and had no problems with the journey," said part-owner Peter-Michael Endres. "It was no...

Dual Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) has emerged from his G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. victory in good order and will point towards the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 2, according to co-trainer William Muir. After running second in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December, the bay did not make an impact in Riyadh, and was an unlucky fourth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March. Wheeled back attempting a title defence of his G1 Coronation...

France Galop and the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) confirmed they have extended their sponsorship agreement of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend for five more years, from 2023-2027. Originally inked in 2008 for a five-year deal through 2012, an extension was agreed upon in 2010 through 2022's edition. Held from Friday, Sept. 30 (Saint-Cloud) and Saturday/Sunday Oct. 1-2 at ParisLongchamp, there will be 16 group races carded-eight Group 1s, three Group 2s, one Group 3 and another four top-level races dedicated to Arabians. Total prize-money on...

The upset winner of the 100th Qatar GI Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Torquatar Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) will not go to Japan, as his connections have decided he has done enough for the year, according to a report in the Jour de Galop. Instead, he will remain in training to make a run at the 101st edition of the ParisLongchamp showpiece in an attempt to become the ninth two-time winner of the race. Until now, no 4-year-old male winner of the Arc has succeeded in making it a double...

Multiple Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will remain in training next year and her trainer Sir Mark Prescott has decided to aim the grey at the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The Kirsten Rausing-owned filly defeated subsequent Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in Hoppegarten's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in August. She then doubled up at that level in the G1 Preis von Europa at Cologne on Sept. 26. All being well, the filly could also take in November's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern...

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) has exited Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in good order after running second to Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), and her connections are still considering at run at the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar in November. The Dermot Weld trainee opened her campaign with a 6 1/2-length win in the G3 Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown on Aug. 5 and was second to St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. there on Sept....

It may have been the 100th edition, but ParisLongchamp's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe proved again on Sunday it is no respecter of established tradition by throwing a curveball in the shape of the 72-1 winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Despite coming here off a victory in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, there was always going to be extra inflation in his starting price as a German raider from the small stable of Marcel Weiss with a relative unknown on his back in Rene Piechulek and...