Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Attendance at ParisLongchamp on Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend on Oct. 3 and 4 will be cut from its original projection of 5,000 after Paris and its suburbs were once again placed in the Reinforced Alert Zone of areas with high incidences of coronavirus. The French government announced on Wednesday that maximum attendance at public events in such zones would be 1,000, but France Galop is seeking clarity on whether that number includes staff. France Galop has suspended ticket sales for the weekend and, pending the publication of the...

Au-dela des Pistes, France's re-training and re-homing organization, will benefit from a pair of initiatives on Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend Oct. 3 and 4. Modeled after the Breeders' Cup Pledge, owners, trainers, breeders and jockeys associated with runners on Arc weekend can opt to donate a percentage of their earnings over the two days to the charity. Additionally, all ticket sales for the Sunday program will be donated to Au-dela des Pistes. The crowd is limited to 5,000 racing professionals and their guests.

Approved members of France Galop can now purchase tickets for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, with French racing's showpiece on Oct. 4, and the prior day's card, to be limited to a crowd of 5,000. France Galop has revealed that the spectator experience has been redesigned to comply with social distancing protocols. In addition to more upscale hospitality packages, simple entry tickets for members will be free on the Saturday and on the Sunday will range from €15 to €30. Proceeds from the sale of single tickets will...

A maximum of 5,000 people will be permitted on course at ParisLongchamp for the Oct. 4 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, France Galop announced on Friday. Paris is once again considered a red zone for coronavirus and an exemption for a larger crowd could not be made. The same restrictions will apply to ParisLongchamp's Oct. 3 card. Access to the racecourse will be restricted to horsepeople (including some owners and breeders) and those required to put on the event. A statement from France Galop read in part, "France Galop...

Sheikh Hamdan's G3 Geoffrey Freer S. winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will line up next in the G1 St Leger on Sept. 12. The Owen Burrows-trained colt is looking to extend his perfect record this season, having also taken Royal Ascot's King George V S. on seasonal debut in June. "He's fine, and we're hoping to go to the Leger," said Racing Manager Angus Gold. "He's progressing very well, I was impressed with him at Newbury the other day. It's an extra furlong, but I don't see that...

G1 Prix du Jockey Club and recent G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) will bypass the Oct. 4 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in favour of the G1 Champion S. at Ascot two weeks later, Racing Post reports. "After discussions with owner Prince Faisal and his team, Mishriff is to have his next outing in the G1 Qipco Champion S. at Ascot in October," trainer John Gosden told Racing Post. "We discussed the possibility of running him in the Arc, for which he would have...

Last-out G1 Prix Ganay winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on course for the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on Aug. 15 after pleasing connections in a route piece of work on Thursday. "He did a simple work, as we are accustomed to do," said trainer Jean-Claude Rouget of Peter Brant's 4-year-old. "The goal is not to have a hard work; once they have made their seasonal bow, we do maintenance work. They worked over 1,800 metres-all went well. The horse has a good action and he behaves as he...

LONDON, UK--Every racing fan has their own idea of which horse is the best, but when it came to settling the top horse of 2019 on official figures, there was not one but three. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, announced in London's Landmark Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, delivered the unique situation of a three-way tie for top honours between Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Look back to the replay of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth...

In the midst of a hot streak for Japanese-bred runners in Britain, 2017 G1 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is gearing up for a second British start of the summer in the G1 Juddmonte International at York on Aug. 21. The 7-year-old entire kicked off 2019 with a second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Mar. 30, after which he was beaten 13 lengths by Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on July 27, an effort assistant...

While G1 Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) stole the spotlight last weekend when running away with the G1 Coral-Eclipse, trainer John Gosden was busy Monday revealing plans for his 'other' 2015 Classic winners: G1 Irish Derby victor Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) and G1 Prix de Diane scorer Star of Seville (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}). Jack Hobbs, who emerged from the shadows of Golden Horn to take the Irish Derby June 27, has the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as his long-term goal, and Gosden said the Godolphin colorbearer...