More scintillating than ever is the build-up to Longchamp
Italian jockey Frankie Dettori on his horse "Enable" celebrates after winning the 2018 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe flat race at the Longchamp race track in Paris on October 7, 2018.
The Prix de l'Abbaye is being live-streamed on TV, on Sunday, thanks to a change to the Arc day running order that has moved the sprint up to third race.
Oli Bell, who will reprise his roving reporter role at Longchamp with ITV's coverage being anchored from home once again, is delighted that a race which has traditionally shone favourably on British and Irish challengers can be accommodated in this year's three-hour live coverage, which is due to air at 12.45, and will climax with the Prix de l'Arc, itself, at 3.20 pm.
Formerly, the Abbaye opened proceedings, but recently two juvenile races have taken turns to kick start, meaning the Abbaye fell outside ITV's broadcast window.
The Ballydoyle contingent at Paris Longchamp's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting will be spearheaded by Los Angeles, although there may still be room on the plane for the retiring Auguste Rodin. Los Angeles is set to lead the assault, with Auguste Rodin also poised to be left in the race in case conditions at Paris Longchamp are quick. Aidan O'Brien has won Europe's richest middle-distance prize twice with Dylan Thomas (2007) and Found (2016), and joining this year's Irish Derby winner on the team sheet are Coronation Cup winner Luxembourg and last year's St Leger hero Continuous. The 16 runners that will line up at Longchamp include contenders from Ireland, England, Germany and Japan -- their runner Shin Emperor is just the latest challenger bidding to land the race that the Japanese consider the Holy Grail. City of Troy is now turning his attention to the Breeders' Cup, but there is still plenty of hot property declared for the most mythical race of all. The lustre remains finely polished. It was first run in 1920 and named in honour of the Parisian landmark that hosted a post-World War I victory parade.
Sosie earned his 7-2 tag, when he popped the Arc trial - Prix Niel, last month, inflicting the first defeat of Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Look de Vega's career. He has been drawn in stall five, from where two winners have emerged, including the legendary Sea Bird, who won the 1965 Arc by a staggering six lengths. Andre Fabre, who turns 79 in December, may have had eight wins in the Arc but only visited the enclosure once Waldgeist in 2019. Joseph, Aiden O'Brien's son, has Al Riffa ridden by Japanese ace Yutaka Take, in stall nine.
These are current odds: 7-2 Sosie, 11-2 Look De Vega, 6 Shin Emperor, 7 Los Angeles, 9 Delius, 10 Bluestocking, 11 Al Riffa, 16 Auguste Rodin, Aventure, Continuous, 20 Mqse De Sevigne, Opera Singer, 25 Fantastic Moon, Sparkling Plenty, 40 Sevennas Knight, Sunway, Survie, 50 Haya Zark, Zarakem, 66 Luxembourg
