Longchamp

Following Monday's confirmation stage, 18 horses remain in contention for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, including the three-year-old Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who has topped the ante-post betting since registering his second consecutive victory over the course and distance in the G2 Prix Niel. He also won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris on his previous start. Sosie is one of three potential runners for Andre Fabre, who will be seeking a record-extending ninth win in the Arc. Fabre is also set to...

A majority interest in Qatar Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega (Fr) has been purchased by Ballylinch Stud in association with Al Shaqab Racing. A son of Ballylinch sire Lope De Vega (Ire), Look De Vega is as short as 4-1 for the Prix de lArc de Triomphe and will continue his racing career in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing. He will retire to Ballylinch at the end of his racing career to stand alongside his world-famous sire.  John O'Connor, managing director of Ballylinch Stud, commented, "We...

In a delightful book of reflective essays, frequent TDN contributor Mark Cramer leads readers on 39 bicycling day trips through the environs of Paris, his adopted home. Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's daily walks in nature, Cramer pedals through forests, along rivers, and into French towns, each trek prompting fresh reflections on the environment, economic growth, simplicity, and well-being. His key takeaway: A life of adventure is well within reach, locally. We need only travel lightly, observe with eyes of wonder, and be open to surprise encounters. Day Seven: Longchamp...

Anyone familiar with the French TV series Lupin, which was inspired by gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, would be forgiven for thinking that stealing the dam of Sunday's French 2,000 Guineas winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) for just €16,000 would be even too far removed from storyline material.  Breaking into the Louvre museum in Paris and walking out with the Mona Lisa under your arm would be easier than buying the Galileo (Ire) mare who would produce a subsequent Classic winner for just €16,000, but that's exactly what Duncan...

Hollie Doyle will maintain the partnership with The Platinum Queen (Ire) as the pair bid to follow up on their brilliant Prix de l'Abbaye success with victory at the Breeders' Cup. Oisin Orr, who joined The Platinum Queen's trainer Richard Fahey earlier this year, does most of the work with the speedster. However, Orr was unable to do the weight about the daughter of Cotai Glory (GB) in France. With the Middleham Park Racing-owned youngster set to carry just 8st 7lb in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland, the Irishman...

Christophe Soumillon, one of the most decorated riders in the world, has been handed a two-month ban after elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan out of the saddle at Saint-Cloud on Friday. The Belgian native was riding Syros (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for Francis Graffard in the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie when making contact with Ryan, who was aboard the Ralph Beckett-trained Captain Wierzba (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). In what looked a deliberate elbow, Soumillon edged Ryan out of the saddle and, while he denied any...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is partnering with FOX Sports to present live coverage and analysis of Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. Sunday's special broadcast will air on FS2 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Eastern, with the €5 million (approximately $4.85 million) Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for 3-year-olds & up going 1 1/2 miles on the turf featuring a bid by the 5-year-old Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) to become the ninth horse in history to win the race twice....

The Aga Khan's leading 3-year-old Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) looks set to be seen next in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, it was confirmed on Wednesday. Winner of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Coral-Eclipse, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt was most recently third behind Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) when sent off as favourite for the G1 Irish Champion S. It appeared after that race that Vadeni would swerve the Arc, which has been won by his owner-breeder on four occasions, most recently with Zarkava (Fr)....

Golden Horn (GB), the brilliant G1 Derby winner and European Horse of the Year in 2015, will take up stallion duties at Overbury Stud after being sold to new investors Dash Grange Stud from Darley and Anthony Oppenheimer. The move will see Golden Horn, who has already sired 13 individual winners over jumps in Britain and Ireland, marketed as a dual-purpose stallion. Golden Horn is best remembered for storming to Derby glory under Frankie Dettori in 2015. He won handsomely from subsequent Irish Derby hero Jack Hobbs (GB), who he...

It was Wednesday morning, 5 December 1990. The phone rang. 'You running anything at the weekend?'. Inwardly I groaned, I knew what was coming. I was running a handicapper slightly past his best in the 2,100m handicap at Saint-Cloud on the Saturday.  An older horse with his issues, not a comfortable ride, Lester had ridden him 11 days earlier when he was a well beaten third. 'Ok, I'll come and ride him'. And so, to my embarrassment, he flew over at his own expense for one, dodgy ride. It was...

Marcel Weiss, trainer of the reigning Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), has provided an upbeat bulletin on the 5-year-old ahead of his eagerly-anticipated return to action at Baden-Baden on Sunday.  Torquator Tasso shocked the racing world by becoming the longest-priced winner in Arc history when returning a 72-1 chance in a race where he had Dermot Weld's globetrotting mare Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Irish Derby hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in behind.  The poster boy of German racing will return in the...

Can we have too much of a good thing? When it comes to racing in the spring the answer is almost certainly not, but the rapidity with which all the decent action takes place can make it difficult to take it all in. For example, in the last 11 days we have had three Derby favourites. First the horse who had held that honour all winter, Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who was then replaced by his stable-mate Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), all the rage after his Derby Trial victory...