Paris Longchamp hosts one of Europe’s most prestigious events on the sporting calendar, as the 2025 Prix De L’arc De Triomphe gets underway in under two weeks’ time.
A mile and four furlongs of the iconic Parisien course awaits horses looking to become winners of Europe’s richest flat race – claiming a share of five million euros, in prize money.
The race highlights a weekend in which the eyes of the racing world hone in on northern France, as equine stars offer some of the finest action in the sport.
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Straight shootout
This year, the betting market suggests that the home side will be in a straight shootout with Ireland, as they look to reclaim the race from the hands of a British trainer.
French trainer Christophe Ferland’s Aventure lines up alongside Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk, as the joint 4/1 ante-post favourites.
The former ended last season with back-to-back second-placed efforts behind trainer Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking, the latest of which came in this race.
She has since gone on to win three of her four races this campaign, with her record blemished only by a second-placed run behind Calandagan, in June.
Open to improvement
Her latest race saw the filly shed her Group One maiden tag and she remains open to improvement for Ferland, who has never won the Arc.
After that win, Ferland told Sky Sports Racing: “She won very well, we did not know about the Irish fillies but she did very well.
“Maxime was very confident on her and when she came out in the straight she accelerated well so I’m very pleased.
“My mission was to win a Group One with her and that is done and now we have to go for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Coming along
“She will be better in four weeks’ time I think and she’s coming along now.
“She’s got a big heart, she’s calm with a good mind, she’s the perfect filly to train.
“We have four weeks to go and it’s going to be a long four weeks. The Arc would be a big bonus, but something hopefully achievable too.”
O’Brien is looking to become the first Irish trainer to win the race since he took home the prize in 2016.
Oaks four-timer
Minnie Hauk has flashed her credentials multiple times this season, going unbeaten and completing an Oaks four-timer at Chester, Epsom, The Curragh and York.
She has now won five of her six career starts, after finishing second on debut as a two-year-old.
On her chances, O’Brien said: “We haven’t seen the best of Minnie Hauk yet.
“You’re not going to see the best of her until the tempo is very strong all the way through a race.
“Physically, she’s getting bigger and stronger. I thought we’d know exactly what she was at York, but I still don’t know.
“She’s relentless and she’s on our Arc programme at the moment.”
Easy time
The Irishman also highlighted the chances of last year’s third and subsequent Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Los Angeles (40/1) and said: “Los Angeles was only just starting back at the Curragh.
“He had an easy time because it was his first run back and the plan is to go to France for his next run [Prix Foy], where it will be a bit harder, but it won’t be him all out.
“There’ll be more to come. Then, hopefully he’ll arrive in time for the Arc.”
Next in the market lies Croix Du Nord and Sosie, both at 10/1 to win the meeting’s showpiece event.
Two-time Group One winner
Croix Du Nord, though sounding French, hails from Japan – where he is a two-time Group One winner.
He has only had five career starts and has won four of them, the latest of which came in a Group Three, at Longchamp, last week.
Should he prevail, his trainer Takashi Saito would become the first non-European trainer to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
However, Saito will face the challenge of fellow Japanese trainer Tomoyasu Sakaguchi – who is represented by Byzantine Dream in this race.
This season has been far more fruitful than the last for the aforementioned horse, as he has won twice at Group Two level and finished second in a Japanese Group One.
That first win came at Riyadh, but the latter came on his latest outing (first in Europe) and at the expense of Sosie – last year’s fourth-placed horse in the Arc.
Fancied runners
Sosie is far accustomed to French racecourses having raced 10 times in his native country and is one of two fancied-runners for the Arc’s leading trainer Andre Fabre.
He is a three-time Group One winner at Longchamp, two of which came in his first two runs this campaign, off the back of his final run last season which was in this race – where he finished fourth.
That latest second-placed effort behind Byzantine Dream represented a step back into form, following his Coral-Eclipse run – where he finished last of six on his first outing outside of France.
The other Fabre runner worth highlighting is Cualificar (16/1), who is a three-time Group-race winner for owners Godolphin.
All of his wins have come from his six runs this year, the latest of which saw him win his first Group Two race.
Others in the market include Juddmonte-owned filly Kalpana, who finished second to Whirl in the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh.
It was the first of three consecutive second-placed runs this season, with the latter two coming behind Calandagan (at Royal Ascot) and Giavellotto – on Kempton’s all-weather course.
She trades at 14/1 to give trainer Andrew Balding his first Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win.
Francis Graffard is another trainer looking for his first win in this race and he trains both Gezora and Daryn, who are next in the betting – at 20/1.
READ MORE: Arc De Triomphe weekend 2025: Dates, how to watch on tv, trainers and jockeys to watch
