THE 2022 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has a full field of 20 and looks a very difficult renewal to unravel. At the time of writing there is plenty of rain forecast for Longchamp, with conditions looking likely to be very testing, which will suit last year’s surprise winner Torquator Tasso, who hasn’t been in the same form though in 2022. Given the expected conditions it is worth mentioning that all of the last ten winners had already won over this distance, which on that basis rules out the favourite Luxembourg and the progressive Al Hakeem, who would both be stepping up in trip for the first time. My nap Alpinista looks rock solid, whilst the Japanese challenge Titleholder, who will definitely stay the trip, has to show he can handle the ground, whilst Sealiway can outrun his odds.
A fascinating renewal and enjoy whether at Longchamp or watching on ITV Racing #athome.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
Sunday
1.15 Longchamp – Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium Group 1 (7f)
Tigrais looked very good when winning the Prix la Rochette Group 3 over this trip at Longchamp last month on good to soft. This followed on from a very comfortable success at Deauville and this filly can make it a three-timer for trainer Christopher Head.
1.50 Longchamp – Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches Group 1 (1m)
Blue Rose Cen, who is three times a winner in soft ground already this year and improved again for a step up to this trip to a mile when winning the Group 3 Prix D’ Aumale here last month. There is plenty more improvement to come from Blue Rose Cen and she is bred to get a trip over one mile two furlongs.
3.05 Longchamp – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Group 1 (1m 4f)
Alpinista (NAP) is coming to the Arc looking for her eighth win in succession and this daughter of Frankel is a mare that still doesn’t get the plaudits she so richly deserves. Her trainer, Sir Mark Prescott, has primarily campaigned Alpinista abroad, although she started this winning sequence back at Goodwood last April and her most recent success was at York, when talking the Darley Yorkshire Oaks in good style, beating Tuesday, when marked up in my Unibet blog. This was her second appearance of 2022, having beaten Baratti with Bubble Gift in third (reopposes) in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July. Last season Alpinista beat the subsequent Arc winner Torquator Tasso, who looked in better form in 2021, by nearly three lengths at Hoppegarten and this highlights her credentials. We know Alpinista will stay, that she has won on soft and while some will say that she lacks a recent run we know this five-year-old mare goes well fresh. Alpinista is tactically versatile, straightforward, totally genuine and stall 6 is a good draw.
Titleholder has really stepped up this season after finishing sixth in last year’s Japan Derby.
He has won his three starts in 2022, looking so visually impressive and on his penultimate start he stormed clear over two miles beating Deep Bond by seven lengths, whilst on his latest appearance in June he was victorious over one mile three furlongs when going away. He has proven in the past that he goes well fresh, and his dam Mowen is by Motivator, who won on the soft, so Titleholder should act in the conditions. If he does, he will go very close from stall 10.
Sealiway was fifth in last year’s Arc when given far too much to do when making his challenge from the back of the field. He went on to win on Champions Day at Ascot on his next appearance when winning gamely over one mile two furlongs. This season has all been about the build up to the Arc and on his last start in early September he wasn’t given a hard race when finishing fourth here at Longchamp. This will be Sealiway’s first start over the Arc distance in 2022 and we know he will handle the ground and get the trip too. Sealiway has to be worth an each way wager with Unibet paying four places, as he will be ridden much closer to the action.
3.50 Longchamp – Prix de l’Opera Group One (1m 2f)
La Parisienne deserves to take what is a cracking renewal of the Prix de l’Opera, having not had any luck with getting a clear run on her last two starts. Last time out in the Prix Vermeille here at Longchamp she should have been much closer to Sweet Lady and on her previous start she just got beaten by Nashwa in a very tight finish in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly when not being able to make a smooth challenge.
