17 June 2020
Photo 2019 Arc: scoopdyga.com
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80 entries were received Wednesday morning at France Galop for the 2020 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr1), or #QPAT, scheduled this year on October 4. This entry stage has been delayed by almost six weeks compared to the original deadline given the upheavals of the European season. The entry cost has also been reduced from € 8,300 to € 5,000.
The aim was to close the entries after the European Guineas, but before the Prix du Jockey Club, the Prix de Diane Longines, the Derby, the Oaks and the Royal Ascot meeting, as is the tradition.
The distribution of entries is roughly the same as last year when they were 81. However, 30 females this year are in instead of 24 in 2019, including Enable, winner of the race in 2017 and 2018, then second last year, and is once again trying the first-ever treble, meeting against Sottsass, recent winner of the Prix Ganay and third in the 2019 Arc.
As for the 3-year-olds, this year there are 26 entered against 34 last year, perhaps partly because the great Irish team of Aidan O'Brien's, at Ballydoyle, is down from 18 to 13 entries, 12 to 5 counting the 3-year-olds only. The good news is that Aidan O’Brien is being made up for by his sons Joseph and Donnacha, who entered 7 horses altogether in the €3m race.
Since in Ireland and the United Kingdom, as in France, the Spring selection did not make the usual first selection, one has to be more cautious than usual. By the way, the same trend is followed by the other big European team, Godolphin, since the Al Maktoum family's "blues" count only 5 entries this year against 13 last year.
However, 48 horses entered from abroad, despite only one Japanese entry this time, show the great resilience of the racing World in these troubled times.
The 2020 Arc is on, and ParisLongchamp has a lot to expect again!