The horses round the turn in front of the windmill at Longchamp

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Undercard Results

Dateline: 10/01/00

On Sunday October 1st history was made at Longchamp in Paris when five Group 1 races were run in a single card for the first time ever in Europe. Accompanying the main event of the 79th running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe were Group 1 or 2 races for several other divisions including sprinters, stayers, distaffers, juvenile fillies, and milers, some of which may come over to the United States for the Breeders' Cup.

Petrushka winning the Prix de l'Opera with John Murtagh up.

Immediately following the Arc was the second biggest event of the day, the Prix de l'Opera, a 2000 metre (1 1/4 mile) race for fillies and mares 3 years old and up. Heavily favoured Petrushka, at 0.90-1, did not disappoint her many backers. She drew the outside post position in a field of 14 and was wide throughout but began her rally from 8th place at the top of the stretch. With a quarter mile to go she began a relentless charge, passing horses to draw off and win by 3/4 length in a running time of 2:02 flat over a course rated good. The pace was slow early on (5f in 1:03.80, the mile in 1:39.30) which made the rally even more impressive. She is expected to make her next start at Churchill Downs in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf where British bookmakers have set her as the 2-1 favourite.

Petrushka prior to the race.

Trainer Michael Stoute said of the performance: "Johnny [Murtagh] did extremely well to get Petrushka where he did from that draw and this is a great performance from horse and jockey." The win gave Murtagh three consecutive victories, all Group 1, to go along with the Arc he had won just a half hour earlier, and the Prix de l'Abbaye. (Chart and official finish photo)

Kabool with Frankie Dettori up after winning the Prix du Rond Point.

The initial event on the star-studded card also had Breeders' Cup contenders participating. A compact field of eight faced the starter in the Group 2 Prix du Rond Point at 1600 metres (about a mile) for colts, horses, and geldings 3 years old and up. (Note that in France, geldings may not start in Group 1 races.) Andre Fabre trainee Kingsalsa with jockey Olivier Peslier was sent off as the odds-on choice at 4-5. Godolphin Racing's Kabool, the 5-2 second choice under Frankie Dettori, led almost the whole way and won by a short neck over Kingsalsa who rallied from 6th place to get even with Kabool with a furlong to go but faded at the end. Kabool is likely to go next in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, with Kingsalsa still a possibility as well. (Chart)

Namid after winning with jockey John Murtagh up.

The sprinting division was represented by the Prix de l'Abbaye, a 1000 metre (about 5 furlong) dash down the straight course which bisects the Longchamp infield. Past runnings of this race have produced such crack sprinters as Dayjur and Sheikh Albadou who came over to compete in the Breeders' Cup. Twelve horses faced the starter, including two two-year-olds (one a filly) taking on older company. John Oxx trainee and 5.20-1 shot Namid was slow out of the gate under Johnny Murtagh, but got the lead with a furlong to go and won by a length and a half over 4.10-1 Superstar Leo who had a brief lead at the halfway stage. It was three lengths back to three-year-old filly and 6.10-1 shot Pipalong, who had tracked the leaders the whole way. Godolphin representative and 2-1 favourite Bertolini was never a factor under Frankie Dettori and finished a disappointing seventh. The running time was 55.10 seconds; the initial 1/4 mile was run in 22.60 and the 1/2 in 43.90. The l'Abbaye victory was a sign of things to come, as Namid's trainer John Oxx and jockey Johnny Murtagh later combined to take the Arc with Sinndar in the next race.

The finish of the Prix de l'Abbaye.

Given the large distance between the sprint course and the grandstands, this race was all but impossible to watch except on the large video monitors or from the far side of the infield. It was similar to trying to watch a race run entirely along the Belmont Park backstretch. (Chart and official finish photo)

Amonita all alone winning the Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches.

Ten of Europe's best two-year-old fillies met up in the Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches over 1600 metres (about a mile) around one turn, a race won by Miesque and Ryafan in the past. Under jockey Thierry Jarnet, 11.50-1 shot Amonita raced in the middle of a tightly-bunched field and was 5th at the top of the stretch. With 1/16 of a mile to go she was even with the leaders, but suddenly found another gear and drew off to win by 2 lengths over the 1.40-1 favourite Karasta who also put in a late rally but was no match for the winner. The running time was 1:36.30. (Chart and official finish photo)

Sam Sebastian winning a close finish in the Prix du Cadran. He was second in the race last year.

The final race on the card was the Prix du Cadran, a 4000 metre (about 2 1/2 mile) marathon which passes the grandstand twice. Nine horses entered for this stayers' race, with the Aga Khan's Enzeli the 1.20-1 favourite; like Sinndar he is a John Oxx trainee and Johnny Murtagh had the mount. Soon after the gate opened, 13.80-1 shot Persian Punch went to the front and led the procession around the course by as much as six lengths. Enzeli and 12.20-1 shot San Sebastian under jockey Davy Bonilla kept him in their sights the whole way around with the rest of the field lined up in single file behind them. As the field turned for home, the trailers bunched up and made steady progress towards the pacesetter. San Sebastian finally passed him inside the final furlong for the win, stopping the clock in 4:14.10 with Enzeli finishing 5th. It was interesting that the longest race on the card had the most horses in the win photo, with six of the nine starters appearing. (Chart and official finish photo)

For an interesting description of the differences between French and North American racing plus more photos from Longchamp, check here.

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Photos by Terence Dulay and Cindy Pierson.

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