#QatarArcRoad: And they’re off!

Wednesday 15th May 2019, France Galop validated the entries for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2019 (Gr1), which will be held on Sunday 6th October at ParisLongchamp. Eighty-one horses have been entered in the race, once again elected best race in the world in 2018. And this year it should once again be a great show! Here are the leading horses entered.

• ENABLE for a first-time ever triple win

Enable will try to make history in this Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Trained by John Gosden and defending the colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah, she is the double title holder, after dominating the race in 2017 and winning last year, despite an interrupted preparation. Injured during the spring of 2018, Enable had only run once before the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but despite that, she managed to win. Enable will try to be the first horse to write her name for a third time on the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe roll of honour. The last horse to have attempted that challenge was the champion mare Trêve. But in 2015, having won in 2013 and 2014, she could only finish fourth. So the task is challenging… But impossible is not Enable!

• SEA OF CLASS, like her sire and her grand-dam

Last year, at three years old, Sea of Class finished second in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. While she was defeated, the William Haggas-trained filly produced a finishing effort for the ages, as she passed the whole field to fail by only a short head behind Enable. Since that day, all racing fans have dreamt of seeing Enable and Sea of Class face each other again in the world’s biggest race. Sea of Class carries the Sunderland Holdings silks, which represents the Tsui family. These colours have already shone twice in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: in 2009, with Sea the Stars, sire of Sea of Class, and in 1993 with Urban Sea, who is herself the dam of Sea the Stars… It really is a family affair!

• WALDGEIST wants his revenge!

Trained in France by André Fabre, Waldgeist impressed on his return in the Prix Ganay (Gr1) on April 28th over the 2,100m of ParisLongchamp. Waldgeist took part in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2018, finishing fourth. On that occasion, he was defeated by Enable and Sea of Class, but his connections can dream of revenge. At five years old, Waldgeist looks stronger than ever and can make these ladies tremble!

• PERSIAN KING, the best “young” horse

Persian King was, in 2018, the best 2yo trained in France. He has confirmed himself in 2019 and is currently the best 3yo trained in France, having just won The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr1) on Sunday, May 12th 2019 at ParisLongchamp. The race over a mile is the first classic race of the season in France. Now, Persian King will try to take home the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1), on June 2nd at Chantilly. If he succeeds, he will have definitively established his supremacy over the generation of horses born in 2015.

Persian King has shown himself to be an extraordinary colt: tall, powerful, and possessing both a very long stride and a great turn of foot. Persian King is trained at Chantilly by André Fabre and defends the colours of Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred (Diane Wildenstein).

• SATURNALIA, for the honour of Japan

Saturnalia is one of the seven Japanese horses entered in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2019. In Japan, the Arc is considered as the holy grail of horse races. The Japanese have not won the race yet and, in 2019, their main hope could well be a 3yo colt called Saturnalia. He still has a long way to go before he participates in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but this race has been in the mind of his connections since the end of December 2018, when Saturnalia was only a two-year-old. To win his ticket for ParisLongchamp, Saturnalia will have to win the Japanese Derby (Group 1), on May 26th at Tokyo racecourse.

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2019 entries

#     Horse (Sex/Age)                   Owner                                                       Trainer

1     Amur (C4)                           Adelresort                                                 M. Snackers

2     Matchwinner (H8)               Adelresort                                                 M. Snackers

3     Elwazir (C4)                        Hamdan Al Maktoum                               O. Burrows

4     French King (C4)                Sheikh A. Bin Khalifa Al Thani               H.-A. Pantall

5     Salouen (H5)                       Hiran Balasuriya                                       S. Kirk

6     Capri (H5)                           D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A. O'Brien

7     Kew Gardens (C4)               D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A. O'Brien

8     Study Of Man (C4)              Flaxman Stables Ireland L.T.D                P. Bary (S)

9     Waldgeist (H5)                    Gestut Ammerland/Newsells Park           A. Fabre (S)

10   Benbatl (H5)                        Godolphin                                                 S. Bin Suroor

11   Best Solution (H5)               Godolphin                                                 S. Bin Suroor

12   Ghaiyyath (C4)                    Godolphin                                                 C. Appleby

13   Masar (C4)                           Godolphin                                                 C. Appleby

14   Old Persian (C4)                  Godolphin                                                 C. Appleby

15   Kiseki (H5)                          Mme Tatsue Ishikawa                              K. Sumii

16   Silverwave (H7)                  Martin S. Schwartz Racing                       F. Vermeulen (S)

17   Flag of Honour (C4)            Mme Magnier/M.Tabor/D.Smith             A. O'Brien

18   Stradivarius (H5)                 Bjorn E. Nielsen                                       J. Gosden

19   Crystal Ocean (H5)              Sir Evelyn de Rothschild                          Sir M. Stoute

20   Blast Onepiece (C4)            Silk Racing Co. Ltd                                  M. Otake

21   Fierement (C4)                    Sunday Racing Co. Ltd                            T. Tezuka

22   Nagano Gold (H5)               Syndikat V3j                                             V. Luka

23   Folamour (C4)                     Wertheimer & Frère                                 A. Fabre (S)

24   Latrobe (C4)                        Lloyd J. Williams                                     J. O'Brien

25   Enable (M5)                         Khalid Abdullah                                       J. Gosden

26   Ligne d'Or (F4)                    Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd                   A. Fabre (S)

27   Magical (F4)                        D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A. O'Brien

28   Coronet (M5)                       Denford Stud                                            J. Gosden

29   Morgan Le Faye (M5)         Godolphin Snc                                          A. Fabre (S)

30   Musis Amica (F4)                Godolphin Snc                                          A. Fabre (S)

31   Lah Ti Dar (F4)                   Lord Lloyd Webber                                  J. Gosden

32   Magic Wand (F4)                M.Tabor/D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier             A.P. O'Brien

33   Sea Of Class (F4)                Sunderland Holding Inc.                           W. Haggas

34   Kasaman (C3)                      S.A. Aga Khan                                          M. Delzangles

35   Zarkallani (C3)                    S.A. Aga Khan                                          A. de Royer Dupré

36   Dubai Warrior (C3)             Sheikh M. Bin Khalifa Al Maltoum         J. Gosden

37   Motamarris (C3)                  Hamdan Al Maktoum                               F. Head (S)

38   Technician (C3)                   David Caddy                                             M. Meade

39   Saturnalia (C3)                    U. Carrot Farm                                         K. Sumii

40   Japan (C3)                           D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A. O'Brien

41   Mohawk (C3)                      D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A.P. O'Brien

42   Norway (C3)                        D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A.P. O'Brien

43  Circus Maximus (C3)          Flaxman/Magnier/Tabor/Smith                A.P. O'Brien

44   Mount Everest (C3)             Flaxman/Magnier/Tabor/Smith                A.P. O'Brien

45   So Chivalry (C3)                 Gestüt Schlenderhan                                 J.-P. Carvalho

46   Line Of Duty (C3)               Godolphin                                                 C. Appleby

47   Royal Marine (C3)              Godolphin                                                 S. Bin Suroor

48   Royal Meeting (C3)             Godolphin                                                 S. Bin Suroor

49   Khagan (C3)                        Godolphin Snc                                          A. Fabre (S)

50   Roman Candle (C3)             Godolphin Snc                                          A. Fabre (S)

51   Persian King (C3)                Godolphin Snc/Ballymore Tb Ltd            A. Fabre (S)

52   Roger Barows (C3)              Hirotsugu Inokuma                                   K. Sumii

53   Too Darn Hot (C3)              Lord Lloyd Webber                                  J. Gosden

54   Ballet Russe (C3)                M. Tabor/D. Smith/Mrs J. Magnier          A. Fabre (S)

55   Broome (C3)                        M.Tabor/D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier             A.P. O'Brien

56   Anthony Van Dyck (C3)     Mrs Magnier/M.Tabor/D.Smith               A.P. O'Brien

57   Cape Of Good Hope (C3)    Mrs Magnier/M.Tabor/D.Smith               A.P. O'Brien

58   Sir Dragonet (C3)                Mrs Magnier/M.Tabor/D.Smith               A.P. O'Brien

59   Dschingis First (C3)            Horst Pudwill                                            M. Klug

60   Magna Grecia (C3)              Smith/Magnier/Tabor/Flaxman S.            A.P. O'Brien

61   Lion Lion (C3)                    Mme Chiyono Terada                               M. Matsunaga

62   Flop Shot (C3)                     Wertheimer & Frère                                 A. Fabre (S)

63   Slalom (C3)                         Wertheimer & Frère                                 A. Fabre (S)

64   Starmaniac (C3)                   Wertheimer & Frère                                 C. Laffon-Parias

65   Sottsass (C3)                        White Birch Farm                                     J.-C. Rouget (S)

66   Surfman (C3)                       Peter L. Winkworth                                  R. Varian

67   Dariyza (F3)                        S.A. Aga Khan                                          A. de Royer Dupré

68   Shamiyla (F3)                      S.A. Aga Khan                                          A. de Royer Dupré

69   Siyarafina (F3)                     H.H. Aga Khan                                         A.de Royer Dupré

70   Maqsad (F3)                        Hamdan Al Maktoum                               W. Haggas

71   Pink Dogwood (F3)             D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier/M.Tabor             A.P. O'Brien

72   Cartiem (F3)                        Sarl Ecurie J.L. Tepper                             J.-C. Rouget (S)

73   Mehdaayih (F3)                   Emirates Park Pty Ltd                              J. Gosden

74   No One (F3)                        Yoshinori Fujita                                        K. Sasada

75   Phoceene (F3)                      Le Haras de la Gousserie                          F. Rossi

76   Secret Walk (F3)                 M. Tabor/Mrs J. Magnier/D. Smith          A. Fabre (S)

77   Hermosa (F3)                       M.Tabor/D.Smith/Mrs J.Magnier             A.P. O'Brien

78   Amarena (F3)                      Stall Lucky Owner                                    H. Grewe

79   Sea Of Faith (F3)                 Sunderland Holding Inc.                           W. Haggas

80   Wonderment (F3)                Mme Stella Thayer                                   N. Clément (S)

81   Platane (F3)                         Wertheimer & Frère                                 C. Laffon-Parias