Racing

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners | 5 of the best

One of the biggest horse races in the world takes place this Sunday and history could be made should superstar mare Enable win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for an unprecedented third time. But there have been many wondrous performances in this top-class French Group One race since its’ inception in 1920 with an enviable roll-call of winners, many of whom were household names. As an appetiser to Enable’s historic bid for a third Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success, and ranked in no particular order, here are five of the greatest Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners in history.

Top 5 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners

Dancing Brave (1986)

The 1986 running is described as one of the greatest renewals of the Arc, given the strength in depth of the field. It included the likes of Acatengo, who had been crowned Germany’s Horse of the Year, as well as Epsom Derby winner Sharastani and French Derby winner Bering amongst others. However, it was Guy Harwood’s Dancing Brave who was sent off favourite for the Longchamp jewel in the crown.

Pat Eddery, who had taken the ride in the wake of Dancing Brave’s dramatic defeat in the Epsom Derby and had steered him to victories in the Coral Eclipse and King George races, settled Dancing Brave at the back and towards the outer.

Not too many winners of the Arc come down the middle of the Longchamp straight and, entering the last furlong, Eddery looked to have got his fractions wrong as he still had Dancing Brave positioned nearer last than first and had to come widest of all.

Backers needn’t have worried however, as Dancing Brave’s devastating turn of foot soon kicked in and he cut down his field with contemptuous ease to win going away.

Mill Reef (1971)

Boasting an almost impeccable record of twelve wins from fourteen starts – he had finished runner-up in his two defeats – the great Mill Reef headed to Longchamp to lock horns with the cream of France in Pistol Packer who had won her previous five outings including both the Prix de Diane and Prix Vermaille.

Despite that impressive haul, it was Ian Balding’s star who went off favourite but the son of Never Bend proved too good and Mill Reef brushed all competition aside setting a new course record at the time.

Mill Reef had found himself boxed in amongst a cluster of rivals but the gaps appeared at the right time and although he drifted to the far rail he stayed on resolutely to land a convincing success and a deserving place as one of the great Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners.

Treve (2013)

Frankie Dettori might have been left wondering ‘what if’ had Crittique Head had kept the mercurial Italian in the saddle for a tilt at the 2013 Arc, having partnered wonder mare Treve to victory in the Prix Vermaille previously. However, the trainer elected to recall Thierry Jarnet for the race who had steered the daughter of Motivator to three previous wins.

Treve faced a strong field of rivals which included crack Japanese raider Orfevre, Aidan O’Brien’s Ruler Of The World and Leading Light and Andre Fabre’s classy Intello amonst others but she won with ease and even allowed herself the luxury of giving her rivals half a start, having been slightly slow to leave the stalls.

Racing keenly in midfield, Jarnet moved his mount into a prominent position as the field turned into the straight and Treve was galloping all over her rivals when sent on with a half-mile to go. However, she was never going to be caught.

The pair would combine for further Arc success twelve months on, breaking a run of three successive defeats, although her quest for a third Arc was undone by Golden Horn’s success in 2015. She could only finish fourth and was subsequently retired.

Enable (2017)

John Gosden’s star headed to her first Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – run at Chantilly due to renovation work at Longchamp – and the daughter of Nathaniel was simply devastating as she put her rivals to the sword in in one of the most imperious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe results in living memory.

Already a four-time Group One champion, she took on a strong field of rivals which included classy Order Of St George and Coral Eclipse winner Ulysses as well as French star Brametot amongst others.

But, always kept prominent by Frankie Dettori, she had the leaders in her sights entering the last two furlongs and quickened up decisively to take up the running between the last two, quickly putting daylight between her and her rivals.

Staying on strongly to the line, she could have been called the winner a fair way out, eventually crossing the line almost three lengths to the good over runner-up Cloth Of Stars.

Helissio (1996)

A headstrong individual but undoubtedly top-class, there were doubts over the stamina of Ellie Lellouche’s charge to see out the Arc trip when fading into fifth on his first attempt at the distance in the Prix du Jockey Club behind Ragmar. However, he pulled hard for his head that day and possibly burnt himself out.

He showed those doubts to be unfounded when scoring readily either side of a brake over the Arc distance, beating Swain in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud and Darazari in the Prix Niel before pitching up at Longchamp to face off with an impressive field of rivals.

Questions remained whether the trailblazer could dominate such a strong field, which included both Swain and Darazari again in opposition as well as John Gosden’s Tamure, Kevin Prendergast’s Oscar Schindler and Sir Michael Stoute’s Pilsudski.

Olivier Peslier, who will take the ride on Sunday on Stradivarius, sent the son of Fairy King immediately to the front as usual and the pair settled well into a rhythm at the head of affairs.

Turning into the straight, Peslier pressed the button and it was all over with him posting a five lengths’ verdict over runner-up Pilsudski who couldn’t match the winner’s explosive burst. Such dominance allowed Peslier to begin celebrating their victory fully a half-furlong from the winning line, standing up in his irons and waving to an ecstatic crowd. A worthy conclusion to our list of the best Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners.