With just a week to go until the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe,
last-minute preparations are being made and jockeys plans finalized as the
racing world turns its attention to Paris.
Jockey Frankie Dettori could be aboard last year’s Derby winner Ruler of the
World in the €5 million showpiece, and the
Italian praised that four-year-old, on whom he won the September 14 Prix Foy, on
Channel 4’s The Morning Line Saturday.
“He’s a Derby winner, he’s got low mileage this year and he won well last
time — I was very impressed,” Dettori said. “The Arc is a very, very difficult
race and this year looks a vintage Arc. Looking at that list, you could name 10
horses to win this year — it’s an unbelievable race.”
Dettori also weighed in on current favorite Taghrooda.
“Three-year-old fillies get 11 pounds from the older horses and she’s a King
George winner getting 11 pounds — that’s why Treve was so spectacular last
year,” he noted. “It’s a great advantage when a filly is in good form to run in
the Arc. They have a great record.”
Defending winner Treve has failed to find the winner’s circle in three starts
this year, most recently finishing fourth in the Prix Vermeille September 14,
and Dettori also shared his thoughts on that Al Shaqab Racing colorbearer, whom
he has ridden twice this year but was recently replaced by Thierry Jarnet.
“She’s not the same horse basically,” he said. “She’s moving poorly and she’s
not striding out at all. Last year she used to pick up, but I think it’s
becoming a bit of a mental issue now. It’s the third time she’s run so poorly.
To try to get her back as good as last year is going to be very hard I think.”
Trainer John Gosden also weighed in on his charge, Taghrooda, and some of the
other contenders.
“(Taghrooda) is in good order, it looks like it’s drying up there,” he said.
“She’s good, good to firm, good to soft (ground) — I don’t want it bottomless
but there’s no hope of it being bottomless so Treve might not get her ground.”
Gosden noted that he likes the chances of Prix Niel winner Ectot.
“I like the horse that won the Prix Niel and the fact the jockey has chosen
him over a Prix de Diane winner is saying a lot,” he said, alluding to Gregory
Benoist’s preferring Ectot to unbeaten Avenir Certain.
“We know that the best horse on sheer pure form is Just a Way, but does he
stay the mile and a half? I thought he was sensational in Dubai when he won
there. I thought Frankie rode a gem of a race the other day in the Prix Foy on
Ruler of the World. It looked like he’d got his interest back.”
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