2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Preview

Ooh la la. It’s that time of year again. The flat season is coming to an end but thankfully, the best has been saved until last. We have the Arc Meeting at Longchamp, Champions Day at Ascot and then the piece de resistance, the Breeders’ Cup in the USA early next month. First up is a card that rarely disappoints, check out Dave’s 2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting preview below.

12.55 – Prix Marcel Boussac (Group 1)

Aidan O’Brien won this for the fifth time last year with Opera Singer. He relies on two fillies this year, Bedtime Story with Ryan Moore on board and Exactly with the Belgian maestro Christophe Soumillon on board. O’Brien fired in a four timer on Saturday and Moore was on three of them. Soumillon was on the biggest priced of the quartet so it would be folly to write either of those horses off.

The favourite is the unbeaten French trained filly, Zarigana. She is 2/2 and she was mightily impressive winning a C&D Group 3 three weeks ago. How does that form stack up against the Irish and UK horses? It is hard to know but visually, she looked like a classy horse.

She still has to go and prove she’s a G1 horse so I am willing to take her on. The one that appeals most at a price is the only other unbeaten filly in the field, Lhakpa. Like the jolly, she is by Siyouni and she is bred to be a Group horse. Her half-brother is G3 winner Beauvatier, who was third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on this card last year.

Streetwise

Her dam is a half to a Group 1 winner too so she has the pedigree, the question is does she have the ability? She was green when winning her debut narrowly but she was a lot more streetwise last time, dictating a slow place and quickening clear to win easily. That form hasn’t worked out but she could only beat what was in front of her.

This is obviously a massive step up in class on her first try at a mile and most of her shorter priced rivals have achieved a lot more. However, she has a nice draw, Maxime Guyon keeps the faith and odds of 28/1 are big enough to warrant a small e/w interest.

2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Tip: Lhakpa e/w @ 28/1

1.30 – Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Group 1)

The juvenile colts take centre stage in this 7f Group 1 and the British and Irish raiders dominate the market. Field Of Gold (11/4), Henri Matisse (11/4) and Rashabar (7/2) all have huge claims and if I had to back one of those, I’d probably go with Rashabar after his excellent effort at Deauville.

However, I am instead going to take a punt on the Joseph O’Brien trained Cowardofthecounty. The son of Kodi Bear lowered the colours of Whistlejacket on his debut at the Curragh in April. He then headed for the Coventry and he finished only 1.75l behind Rashabar in seventh.

After a rare below par G3 effort at the Curragh, O’Brien’s charge got off the mark in stakes company at Deauville, winning a 7f Group 3, beating Houquetot by 1.5l. He re-opposes here and I am not sure why he is 18/1 and Cowardofthecounty is 25s.

Last time at the Curragh this colt finished 3.25l behind Henri Matisse on his first try at the top table. He was far from disgraced and he was only a 0.5l behind the 111 rated G2 winner Amori City. He has achieved more than Field Of Gold, he’s already proven he can beat Houquetot, he has a nice draw and he’ll enjoy this ground. At odds of 25/1, Cowardofthecounty is the e/w selection.

2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Tip: Cowardofthecounty e/w @ 25/1

2.05 – Prix de l’Abbaye (Group 1)

Moss Tucker and Makarova, two friends of the blog, have unfinished business in this sprint. Last year, Makarova ran a huge race from a bad draw in stall 17 to finish sixth, beaten just 1.75l for the win. Moss Tucker didn’t get into it but in 2022 he flew home for fifth from stall 11. This year, Mossy is drawn in 13, which isn’t ideal. The drying ground is a worry for him too so I am going to leave him alone and hope that he pitches up in the Champions Sprint, hopefully on soft ground.

The draw gods have been slightly kinder to Ed Walker’s mare. She will start from stall 8 and that isn’t a bad berth for a mare that likes to come with a late rattle. Good to soft ground is absolutely fine for her and she comes into this on the back of a super run for us at the Curragh in the Flying Five.

This is probably going to be her best chance of winning at the top table. Tom Marquand gets on well with her and he’ll be desperate to get a Group 1 win on the board for this talented daughter of Acclamation. I also think Grand Grey is too big from the plum draw in stall 1 but I am not deserting Makarova now. At odds of 16/1, she is the each way selection.

2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Tip: Makarova e/w @ 16/1 (4 places) NAP

3.20 – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1)

I have already put up Sunway for the main event (read why here). The draw has not been kind but David Menuisier landed his first ever Group 1 (and a double) on Saturday and hopefully he can add another one here.

2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Tip: Sunway already advised e/w @ 66/1

4.05 – Prix de l’Opera (Group 1)

It is hard to see past the top five or six in the betting here. Johnny Murtagh’s Hanalia could go well at a half-decent price but I am happy to just watch this one. No bet.

2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Tip: No Bet

4.40 – Prix de la Foret (Group 1)

What a race. A massive field of 18 will go to post and Kinross is the market leader as he bids to win this for a second time. He got back to winning ways at Doncaster three weeks ago and he has a lovely draw in stall 2. He should go well but the one that looks massively overpriced in here is the speed merchant Matilda Picotte.

Yes, she failed to fire in the Flying Five but she didn’t have a hard race and this test will suit her a whole lot better. Seven furlongs is her optimum trip and on her last start at this distance she ran a huge race on ground too fast for her in a valuable Group 2 in Saudi. She was only beaten 2.25l for the win and like today, she was drawn wide, so it was an excellent effort.

Ease In The Ground

There should be a bit of an ease in the ground at Longchamp and that is what this filly wants. She has been handed another wide draw in stall 16 but there is not a lot of early pace in this (bar Tribalist but he’s a miler) so if she can break fast, she may be able to tack across. If she can get an easy lead, she’ll have a lot of these off the bridle after 3f and she stays the trip well.

She comes to hand at this time of year (career form figures of 11 in October) and if she can repeat the level of performance she showed when slamming Audience and Chindit at Newmarket this time last year, it could be enough to land a place at the very least. Hopefully she pings the gates and if she does, Matilda Picotte can make a bold bid at odds of 28/1.

2024 Longchamp Arc Meeting Tip: Matilda Picotte e/w @ 28/1 (4 places) NB

-DaveStevos