Hukum (9/2), Continuous (7/1) and Feed The Flame (8/1) lead the main challenge to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe favourite Ace Impact at ParisLongchamp on October 1, live on Sky Sports Racing; Bay Bridge (20/1) nominated as an each-way bet by At The Races' Declan Rix
Thursday 21 September 2023 14:12, UK
The eyes of the racing world centre on Paris on the very first day of October this year and many of those will be fixed on one of the most exciting horses in training – Ace Impact.
Jean-Claude Rouget's three-year-old heads to the famous race with an unbeaten record to defend after he cruised to a comfortable victory in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano last month.
Bookmakers responded to that by making the son of Cracksman the 10/3 favourite for Arc glory, but there are plenty of quality rivals lining up to take a shot at the title…
There is a typically strong British challenge for the Arc this year, headed by Owen Burrows' Hukum, who has been carefully minded for a trip to France since getting the better of Westover in a thrilling King George at Ascot at the end of July.
A son of Sea The Stars, who bowed out in memorable fashion when winning this race in 2009, Hukum is ground versatile and tough enough to put up a serious challenge to the market leader.
Now six-years-old, he also boasts considerably more track experience than his main rival, which could come into play if the race developed into a tactical duel.
Asked if Hukum has earned the right to be at the top of the betting, Burrows told Sky Sports Racing: "I think so, I can't see why he shouldn't be. He won a very strong King George. Ace Impact looks very exciting so he's got to contend with that, but I wouldn't swap him."
That confidence seems to have been shared by plenty of punters too, with Hukum backed from 6/1 to 9/2 in recent weeks.
Rival rating - 8/10
At first glance, Aidan O'Brien's traditionally powerhouse squad looks a little underwhelming for the Arc this year but would be given a major boost should Continuous make a swift turnaround after his victory in the St Leger at Doncaster.
The son of Heart's Cry was beaten in his first three starts this season but showed a good attitude behind King Of Steel at Royal Ascot and then returned from a two-month break to land the Great Voltigeur at York in fine style.
Last weekend's triumph on Town Moor confirmed his status as a top tier colt and O'Brien immediately raised the Arc as a possibility when speaking to Sky Sports Racing after the race.
Connections would have to shell out €120,000 to supplement their runner at this late stage but there is just north of €2.5m on offer to the winner and the team have until Wednesday, September 27 to make their minds up.
If you feel there is a good chance he turns up in Paris, then the 7/1 available for Continuous could be a huge price to take given his red-hot form of late.
Rival rating - 9/10
On paper, Feed The Flame's Arc hopes looked to have been largely extinguished when he suffered defeat as a 1/2 favourite in the Group Two Prix Niel on Arc Trials Day.
Pascal Bary's star had been widely expected to make light work of his opponents, but fell victim to a messily-run contest, won by the talented Fantastic Moon.
The culprit of that mess was outsider King Of Records, who had clearly been tasked with setting the pace for Feed The Flame, only to go out on his own and leave his counterpart a long way off the pace.
The post-race clock will tell you that Feed The Flame produced admirable speed to close on Fantastic Moon late-on, but the record still reads 'second' and thus Feed The Flame is an attractive 8/1 for the Arc - he had been a big as 12s in the immediate aftermath of that defeat.
Rival rating - 7/10
If you believe in Hukum's chances as the principal challenger to Ace Impact, you might be surprised to see Westover this far down the betting.
The pair were separated by just a head in that King George classic when we last saw Ralph Beckett's four-year-old in action, and like Owen Burrows, the Kimpton Down handler has plotted a direct route to the French capital.
Connections have been pleased to see a drier than usual forecast in the Paris region and their star has the potential advantage of having been here before - finishing sixth in much softer conditions 12 months ago.
Although a Classic winner at three, Westover has taken his form to the next level this term, chasing home the all-conquering Japanese superstar Equinox in Dubai on his reappearance before three more high-class performances closer to home.
He registered his second Group One when landing the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in a record time before going down bravely in defeat at Ascot.
Rival rating - 8/10
The likely ride of Frankie Dettori in his final Arc appearance, if she turns up, Emily Upjohn will be on a revival mission having finished a whopping 27 lengths behind Hukum and Westover in the King George.
She rightly has a giant question mark hanging over her head after bombing out at Ascot but her form prior to that disappointment would see John and Thady Gosden's filly featuring at a single-figure price for sure.
It was only three starts ago she had the beating of Westover by just under two lengths in a scintillating display at Epsom's Coronation Cup and a half-length defeat to Paddington in the Coral-Eclipse is nothing to be sniffed at.
If she is in the line-up and her supporters can forgive and forget her last run, 16/1 could look like excellent each-way value for a dual Group One winner with one of the best on board.
Rival rating - 6/10
Another for the aforementioned O'Brien team, Luxembourg was a well-fancied 4/1 for this race last year but ultimately faltered back in seventh in testing conditions on his first try at the mile-and-a-half trip.
This campaign has blown a bit hot and cold with the four-year-old gaining a third Group One title in the Tattersalls Gold Cup either side of being a beaten favourite.
He was never really fancied for the King George (14/1), back at the mile-and-a-half, and ended up eight lengths behind the front two, but ran a likable race behind stablemate Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes last time.
Like Emily Upjohn, there is no doubt Luxembourg has the quality to make his presence felt here, but it is hard to make a serious case for him based on this season's evidence.
Rival rating - 4/10
Of those who ran on Arc Trials Day, it was perhaps Place Du Carrousel (20/1) who left the best impression, beating the well-touted Iresine in the Prix Foy.
Positioning again proved key as Andre Fabre's filly got first run on her rival after a noticeably pedestrian pace but Place Du Carrousel showed a smart turn of foot and then plenty of stamina to see out the mile-and-a-half trip at the first attempt.
Another of the home contingent, Zagrey (20/1) perhaps arrives under the radar after his latest victory away from domestic television channels in the Group One Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany, making the most of the absence of Fantastic Moon (33/1).
Yann Barberot's four-year-old will have to, at the very least, reverse his form with Westover from the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud but will take inspiration from 2021 Arc hero Torquator Tasso, who came from the same prep race to spring an 80/1 upset.
At The Races' very own Declan Rix believes Bay Bridge (20/1) has serious each-way value with stamina and Group One speed guaranteed.
He told the Weekend Winners digital preview show: "There's not a lot of pace this year and if we got a tactical running of the Arc and he'd sit in the first three or four, you are hoping that pace over ten furlongs should see him challenge."
Watch the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe live on Sky Sports Racing on Sunday, October 1.
