The field for Sunday’s Gr1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has been published and big race jockey Frankie Dettori suggests that the pressure on he and record-bidding Enable is less than last year – and that’s not because there is a smaller crowd in Paris this year.
“We have already achieved something historic by winning the King George for the third time. Frankly, the pressure involved is less than last year, and it’s not because there will be fewer people in Paris. It’s because we have already experienced disappointment. The three hours which followed last year’s defeat were the worst in my entire professional career, and I think that Enable was similarly downcast!” Dettori told France Galop.
Frankie Dettori
Of Italian extraction, Lanfranco Dettori is based in England and will celebrate his 50th birthday in December. He has won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe six times, which makes him record holder, having ridden in the race 31 times! He won his first Gr1 race in 1990, and, to date, boasts 259 successes at this level.
Dettori and his Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe record
Rides: 31
Wins :6 19,35%
Places:4 12,90%
The genuine heavy ground will turn the Arc into a stamina test. That will play to Stradivarius’ strengths, and, on the contrary, the distance may prove a bit long for Persian King, although anything trained by André Fabre warrants respect.
There are other horses which shouldn’t be underestimated such as Sottsass. He hasn’t had a hard campaign and boasts prior experience in the Arc de Triomphe.
Enable’s trainer John Gosden John Gosden has won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe three times.
He believes that his mare is ready to give of her best:
“Enable is doing very well! She’s at her optimum racing weight and is happy. We had a bit of trouble getting her really “fit” this year, as the mare has grown older and heavier. However, as things stand, she’s in top form. So we are confident. She has never run a bad race. She invariably rises to the task. She’s primed to run a big race,” he said.
He will also saddle Stradivarius, pictured below, the world’s top stayer now trying his hand over 2400 metres.
Regarding the ability of his two runners to cope with the forecast heavy ground, Gosden said:
“Enable has already run well on very soft ground, but like many horses, she prefers good ground. She can cope with testing tracks, but that renders her task more difficult: as it’s more demanding in terms of stamina. Stradivarius has always been a fast ground horse, but he surprised us on the day of the [Ascot] Gold Cup when he managed to win, despite the conditions, over 4.000m (2m 4f). So if it rains, we hope that both horses will be able to cope. It is my jockeys who will decide on the tactics. They have to judge how fast they are going, where they have to be in a race, and how much effort to ask of their horses… It can be dangerous to give a horse in front too much rope, and, in equal measure, the same applies to make too much use of your horse, which invariably entails you cutting your own throat.”
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Saftote will also have a range of betting options available.
The race will be broadcast on Tellytrack (Dstv 249) at 17h05 on Sunday.
