Latecomer Minnie Hauk tops the boards.
Japanese horses, trainers and jockeys have been striving for 56 years to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which is often labelled Europe’s premier race.
The burning ambition remains unfulfilled, though the Japanese have registered four seconds and a third.
In the 2025 edition of the contest on Sunday, three horses bred and trained in the Land of the Rising Sun will be in the high-class line-up at ParisLongchamp.
The shortest priced of them is Byzantine Dream (10.00), trained by Tomoyasu Sagaguchi and ridden by British champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
At 11.00 is Croix Du Nord, from the stable of Takashi Saito, and at 17.00 is Alohi Alii, trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka.
It’s a lot of firepower, but the French, Irish and English also bring big guns to the fight.
Most notable among them is Minnie Hauk (5.00), who will be saddled by Aiden O’Brien, the world’s top conditioner. This sensational three-year-old filly comes into the Arc with three straight Grade 1 Oaks titles – in England, Ireland and York.
So confident of Minnie Hauk’s ability are Ballydoyle that they supplemented her into the Arc with an eye-watering €120,000 (R2.4-million) late entry fee. She will be ridden by globe-trotting superstar Christophe Soumillon – no stranger to South African racing fans.
The second favourite in the leadup to the race is last year’s runner-up Aventure (6-1), another filly. Trainer Christophe Ferland says his charge is in better shape than last year, while multiple French champion jockey Maxine Guyon gives her superior assistance.
Fillies have done very well in the Arc down the years.
But all these fancied horses will have an eye on the Arc legend: French trainer Andre Fabre, who is aiming for a remarkable ninth Arc victory with his colt Sosie (15.00).
Sporting Life pundit Ben Linfoot describes this Arc as very open, with 5.00 the field an accurate assessment.
The Japanese challenge might be stronger than the odds suggest, particularly if the weather stays sunny and Longchamp is spared its usual bog at this time of year.
