• Frankie Dettori is the most successful jockey in Arc history with 6 wins.

  • Male horses have won the Arc a total of 75 times since 1920.

  • Danedream set the fastest time of 2 mins 24.49 secs in 2011.


Since 1920, this fabulous race has become one of the world’s most important sporting challenges and a race of legendary status.

This major French event, the highlight of the racing season, is a Group 1 race, the highest category in international competition.

It is open to the best Thoroughbreds, the fastest breed in the world, ridden by the best international jockeys.

Arc History

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was first run on 3 October 1920 at Longchamp racecourse.

Its name commemorates soldiers that celebrated the end of the First World War by parading under the famous Parisian landmark that had become a symbol of the Allied victory.

Understandably the Second World War prevented the race from taking place in 1939 and 1940.

At the end of the First World War the “Société d'Encouragement (to improve the breed of racehorses)”, which later became France Galop, decided to create a highly prestigious race that would showcase the English Thoroughbred in France, and that contest would carry significant prize-money.

https://www.888sport.com/blog/football-prediction

It chose a poignant name for the event: The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

René Romanet-Riondet, the Secretary General of the Société d'Encouragement, chose this name for the race so that it would become a benchmark event in the world of horseracing. And at that point the Arc was born.

  • Age: 4 of the last 10 winners were aged 3, 6/10 winners were aged 4 or 5.

  • Starting Price: 2 of the 10 winners have been favourites, 6/10 winners came from the top three in the horse racing betting.

  • Draw: 9 of the last 10 winners came from stall 8 or below.

  • Last Time Out: 7/10 winners won their last race before the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, 10/10 winners had their last run within the last 38 days.

  • 3/10 winners ran in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on their last run, while 4/10 winners ran in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

  • Course Form: 7/10 winners had at least one previous run at Longchamp, 6/10 winners had at least one previous win at the Paris racecourse.

  • Distance Form: 9/10 winners had at least two previous runs over 1m 4f, 10/10 winners had at least one previous win over 1m 4f.

  • Group Wins: 10/10 winners had at least one win in a Group One race, 10/10 winners had at least one win in a Group 1-3 race.

  • Season Form: 10/10 winners had at least three runs that season, 10/10 winners had at least 1 win to their name that season.

  • Ground: Arcs run on soft and heavy ground are much less susceptible to draw bias, however on good ground 10/11 winners were from a single-figure stall. Low draws are always popular with the in play betting punters.

Race Statistics

  • Eight horses have won the Arc twice, but no horse has ever won it three times: Ksar (1921 and 1922), Motrico (1930 and 1932), Corrida (1936 and 1937), Tantième (1950 and 1951), Ribot (1955 and 1956), Alleged (1977 and 1978), Trève (2013 and 2014) and Enable (2017 and 2018). Several horses have attempted the treble without success.

  • Males have been more successful than the females with 75 victories to their names. Colts have won the the Arc three times more often than the fillies (24 victories), however, over the last ten years, fillies have won the Arc seven times, and it was a filly (Danedream) who recorded the record time for the race.

  • The race has the highest prize-money for any race in France and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe also features amongst the richest races in the world. In 1920, the total purse for the contest was 150,000 Francs, and since 2008, the race has been worth 5 million Euros.

  • 2 mins 24.49 secs is the fastest winning time for the Arc. The German filly Danedream clocked up this record in 2011.From the moment she left the stalls she clocked an average speed of 60 km/h.

Previous Arc Winners

  • 2020 - Sottsass (Christian Demuro)

  • 2019 - Waldgeist (Pierre-Charles Boudot)

  • 2018 - Enable (Frankie Dettori)

  • 2017 - Enable (Frankie Dettori)

  • 2016 - Found (Ryan Moore)

  • 2015 - Golden Horn (Frankie Dettori)

  • 2014 - Treve (Thierry Jarnet)

  • 2013 - Treve (Thierry Jarnet)

  • 2012 - Solemia (Olivier Peslier)

  • 2011 - Danedream (Andrasch Starke)

Arc Winners By Country

In horseracing, the nationality of the winner is determined by the country where it is trained, regardless of where it was born or the nationality of its owners.

Since the inaugural running of this event in 1920, France tops the winner’s table courtesy of its 68 victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The last 10 renewals have been won five times by French horses, three times by English horses, and once each by German and Irish horses.

Total: France (68), England (15), Ireland (8), Italy (6), Germany (2).

Most Successful Arc Jockeys

Frankie Dettori is the most successful jockey in Arc history with six wins to his name.

He has ridden in a staggering 32 renewals. Dettori’s Arc rides are regularly featured in the annual horse racing tips for this event.

Dettori’s role of honour is made up of: Lammtarra (1995), Sakhee (2001), Marienbard (2002), Golden Horn (2015), Enable (2017, 2018)

Also one of today’s current riders, Olivier Peslier is a four-time winner of the Arc. His winners have been: Helissio (1996), Peintre Celebre (1997), Sagamix (1998), Solemia (2012).

Most Successful Trainer In Arc History

Andre Fabre, France's greatest trainer of all time, has won the Arc a record eight times.

These are his amazing eight thus far: Trempolino (1987), Subotica (1992), Carnegie (1994), Peintre Celebre (1997), Sagamix (1998), Hurricane Run (2005), Rail Link (2006), Waldgeist (2019).

Is The Arc On TV?

Television coverage of the Arc is global, with the race being broadcast in the UK by ITV Racing.

Please check out our 888sport blog for all the latest ITV racing tips for the French racing.


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Francois Mori / AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 9th September 2021

Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.