ARC RACES - QUISISANA JOINS THE LIST OF ENTRANTS IN THE QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE

After Gezora, who won the Prix de Diane Longines, it is time for another Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hopeful to be issued a wildcard for the race, within the framework of the new Arc Races circuit: Quisisana, winner of the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet. 

On Sunday 24th August 2025 in Deauville, Quisisana took the laurels in the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet, one of the eight Arc Races. The 5-year-old mare, who is owned and bred by the Haras de la Perelle – the Normandy-based stud farm established by Juergen Winter in 1995 – also won an Arc Races wildcard, which means her entry fees are waived for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1, run on Sunday 5th October 2025) and also grants her priority starter status. Quisisana’s entourage had 15 days in which to use this wildcard, as the mare had not been entered in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when entries closed on Wednesday 14th May 2025. But now she is! The champion’s entourage accepted the invitation and Quisisana joined the list of entrants in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. 

Quisisana is the second horse not originally entered in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to benefit from this opportunity to enter the Group 1 race free of charge, after 3-year-old filly Gezora, who won the Prix de Diane Longines back in June. Both horses are trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, who is based at the Chantilly training centre.

A new and improved Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet 

The Arc Races circuit helped support the transformation of the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet. This Group 1 race, which was traditionally reserved for mares aged 4 and over, was opened up to 3-year-old fillies in 2025, when it was merged with the Prix de la Nonette (Group 2, 3-year-old fillies). 

The aim of this move was to make the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet both more competitive and more attractive, and took the race’s total purse from €250,000 to €400,000. In its first year in this new format, and under the Arc Races umbrella, the race has unveiled a pretender to the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe throne. 

The forthcoming Arc Races

Come along to ParisLongchamp on Sunday 7th September 2025 for the last few races in the Arc Series and the Qatar Arc Trials race meeting, the dress rehearsal for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe:

•             Qatar Prix Vermeille (Sunday 7th September, ParisLongchamp)

•             Qatar Prix Niel (Sunday 7th September, ParisLongchamp)

•             Qatar Prix Foy (Sunday 7th September, ParisLongchamp)