The Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe is one of the standout flat races of the European season and is watched by millions of racing fans each and every year. It is a Group 1 thoroughbred contest and is held in France at the beginning of October. It is open to three year olds and above and is held over a distance of 2.400 metres.

The race was first held in 1920 and it is a contest which has showcased a whole host of household names over the years. A purse of five million euros was made available for the 2018 contest, a prize pot which tends to increase year-on-year.

The race is held at the historic Longchamp racecourse although it was moved to Chantilly for the 2016 and 2017 seasons due to renovations taking place at the usual venue.

No horse has won more than two Arcs with eight competitors having doubled up in the prestigious contest. Frankie Dettori is the leading jockey in the event with six victories in the iconic flat race. He has won it three times since 2015. French trainer Andre Fabre is the leading trainer although he hasn’t been successful since 2006.

Famous names to have won the Arc in the last ten years include Golden Horn, Treve, Found and Sea the Stars.

2018 Predictions Report

Another hugely competitive field was expected ahead of the 2018 renewal and it had been a very enjoyable and high-quality year in the flat racing fraternity around Europe.

Unsurprisingly, Enable, who was victorious in 2017 was the early favourite for back-to-back successes and was fancied to continue his upward momentum. There had been a number of horses who have achieved successive victories in the contest and Enable was hoping to add his name to that exclusive list. When the betting was released at the beginning of 2018, Enable was given a 28.57% implied probability and led the way in the ante-post betting.

Cracksman was second in the betting and had been given a 19.05% implied probability which didn’t budge heading into the contest at the beginning of October. The John Gosden runner has missed the Juddmonte International at York racecourse in August but was expected to return in time for this Grade 1 event. Ground concerns had played a significant part in recent withdrawals at Royal Ascot and on the Knavesmire and connections were desperate to see their charge head to Longchamp.

Hydrangea was next in line and was given a 4.76% chance of success in the projection charts. There was a yawning gap between the top two in the betting and Hydrangea, who was expected to be fighting for the minor honours.

Poets Word and Saxon Warrior were rated fourth and fifth favourites for the contest at the right-handed track and were each given an implied probability of 3.85% for this year’s event. The latter came fourth in the Juddmonte and was expected to challenge at the front end once again.

Seventh Heaven was just behind the pair with a 3.45% chance of success according to the implied probability.

2018 Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe

2018 threw up a suitably high-quality contest with another fascinating finish to the contest. 2017 winner and market-leader Enable was the winner of the race once again and joined a small band of horses who have won the Arc on two successive occasions. Enable started the race at an odds-on price but only narrowly saw off Sea of Class and Cloth of Stars.

Waldgeist finished in fourth and a couple of big priced horses came home in fifth and sixth with Capri and Salouen not far behind the leading lights.

Unfortunately Cracksman didn’t take part in the event.