RELEASE

126 forfeits were registered on Tuesday morning at the headquarters of France Galop, leaving a total of 23 candidates in the line-up for the 87th Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, worth 4 million Euros.

The main protagonists were all confirmed, starting with the favourite, HH Aga Khan’s three-year-old filly Zarkava trained at Chantilly by Alain de Royer Dupré. Also attempting to remain unbeaten is the three-year-old Vision d’Etat who took the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey-Club in June for Sarthe-based trainer Eric Libaud and the colours of Jacques Détré. Second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2007 and winner since then of the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, the English Youmzain will try to go one better this time. Japan will be represented by Meisho Samson, the richest horse in the race with 3.5 million Euros in allocations to his name. The protégé of Shigetada Takahashi has been installed in Chantilly for several weeks, but he will set foot on Longchamp racecourse for the first time on Sunday. The trainers’ record-holder in the race is André Fabre, who counts seven wins in the race. The Chantilly handler is represented by Getaway, who finished fourth in the contest last year before winning the Gr.2 Grand Prix de Deauville at the end August.

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has left seven of his charges in the race, but it is possible that his delegation will be reduced to three or four horses on Friday morning when the final declaration are made, followed by the post position draw. Duke of Marmalade, unbeaten this season in five outings at Group 1 level, and Soldier of Fortune, 5th in the 2007 Arc won by his stable companion Dylan Thomas, are among the Aidan O’Brien team. The master of Ballydoyle saddled four horses for the last running of the race.

The American champion Curlin has just set a new world record in earnings by breaking the ten million dollar barrier. He is in training in California and will not take part in this second richest race in the world.

On the other hand, some more unexpected contenders are still in the line-up. Among these is Blue Brésil, trained at la Teste (South West France) by Lionel Larrigade. He finished third in the Prix Noailles (Gr.2) and Prix Hocquart (Gr.2) in the spring and took the same place in the Listed Derby du Languedoc. His latest outing was a fifth place in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (Gr.2) on 25th August at Deauville.

La Boum, trained in Chantilly by Robert Collet, is also engaged on Saturday in the Prix de Royallieu (Gr.2) fillies’ contest over 2500m.

Also entered on Saturday in the Qatar Prix Dollar (Gr.2), the Brasilian thoroughbred Gloria de Campeao could be confirmed for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Patrick Barbe, racing manager for Swedish owner Stefan Friborg whose colours are carried by the five-year-old, explains, “It’s 50-50. We will have look at the next forfeits before making a decision. He’s a very tough horse, who likes to race among the leaders, and if we think he is capable of finishing in a place, we could be tempted to run. He should have contested the Istanbul Grand Prix earlier in the month but he was prevented from doing so by a technical problem. He has continued training since then. It is however more likely that he will run in the Prix Dollar.”

Gloria de Campeao’s trainer Pascal Bary is also represented by four-year-old Zambezi Sun, hero of the Grand Prix de Paris in 2007 and recently of the Prix Foy over the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe course and distance.

Second in the Czech Derby in 2006, the 5 year-old Normen should be confirmed as a runner in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by his trainer Zdeno Koplik, as should the German It’s Gino, recent third in the Gr.1 Grosser Preis von Baden.

Winner of the Gr.1 Italian Derby in May, Teruya Yoshida’s Cima de Triomphe has been prepared by Bruno Grizetti for a tilt at this race since the beginning of the summer. The international raiders are completed by the two representatives of English trainer Sir Michael Stoute, Papal Bull and Ask, while Schiaparelli, winner of the German Derby in 2006 and a trio of Group 1 victories in Germany and Italy, has just accomplished a pleasing return to competition by finishing second in the Prix Foy (Gr.2) for the Godolphin stable of Dubai.

The second forfeit is programmed tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 am.
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