Celebrating a Century of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The History of Europe's Greatest Horse Race

Malcolm Pannett

• Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd
• eBook ISBN:
  9781785317545
• Year: 2020

Celebrating a Century of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe charts the history of Europe's - and arguably the world's - greatest horse race. Established in 1920 and staged in Paris on the Bois de Boulogne, the Arc is a truly international contest attracting runners from England, Ireland, Japan, Italy, Germany and the USA. This illustrated race-by-race account traces the exploits of many all-time racing legends. From Ribot, Sea Bird, Allez France and Mill Reef, to Dancing Brave, Sea The Stars, Trêve and Enable. It's also a who's who of the turf starring the Rothschild, Aga Khan, Wildenstein, Wertheimer and Head families, as well as Marcel Boussac, Vincent O'Brien, Lester Piggott and Yves Saint-Martin. The modern era features luminaries such as André Fabre, Coolmore, Godolphin, John Gosden, Frankie Dettori and Khalid Abdullah. You'll discover which champion hurdler won the title, which horse came back from stud to recapture his crown and which jockey ended up in prison as a result of his win.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1920: Comrade commands respect
• 1921: France off the mark with super Ksar
• 1922: Double and quits for Ksar
• 1923: Parth to glory
• 1924: Magnificent Massine
• 1925: Rules given Priori-ty over Cadum
• 1926: Biribi suprême for Torterolos
• 1927: Fourth time’s the charm for Mon Talisman
• 1928: Kantar is turbo-charged
• 1929: Ortello opens account for Italy
• 1930: Motrico jumps to it on rain-sodden ground
• 1931: Pearl Cap asserts as Tourbillon fails to ignite
• 1932: Back from stud Motrico wins again
• 1933: Gap comes in time for Crapom
• 1934: Brilliant Brantôme flashes home
• 1935: Samos is a great spare ride for Sibbritt
• 1936: Boussac off the mark with Corrida
• 1937: Corrida comes wide to collect a million francs
• 1938: Rothschild scores again with Éclair au Chocolat
• 1939: Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe cancelled
• 1940: Nazi occupation of France begins
• 1941: Le Pacha scores in smallest Arc field
• 1942: Devastating Djébel scores with authority
• 1943: Verso II is victorious at Le Tremblay
• 1944: Ardan wins first Arc after the liberation of Paris
• 1945: Nikellora has her day in the sun
• 1946: Caracalla gives Boussac a fifth Arc
• 1947: Le Paillon adds Arc to French Champion Hurdle
• 1948: Migoli the first winner for the Aga Khan III
• 1949: Coronation reigns in Europe’s richest race
• 1950: Tantième trounces opposition
• 1951: Terrific Tantième does it again
• 1952: Nuccio wins Head-to-Head
• 1953: La Sorellina and Silnet give Étienne Pollet a one-two
• 1954: Silky smooth Sica Boy sluices in
• 1955: Tesio scores posthumously with Ribot
• 1956: Ribot all class as he extends unbeaten run to 16
• 1957: Serge Boullenger steers home longshot Oroso
• 1958: Ballymoss the first winner for Ireland
• 1959: Saint Crespin – it’s close, very close
• 1960: A powerful performance by Puissant Chef
• 1961: Molvedo too strong for Right Royal
• 1962: Soltikoff atones for Herbager disappointment
• 1963: Exbury stays calm as favourite boils over
• 1964: Prince Royal prevails in an incident-packed race
• 1965: Sea Bird flies into immortality
• 1966: Freddy scores for grandfather on Bon Mot
• 1967: Topyo wins in record 30-strong field
• 1968: Vaguely Noble for Ireland, France and the USA
• 1969: Levmoss holds Park Top’s late surge
• 1970: Sassafras ends Nijinsky’s unbeaten run
• 1971: Mill Reef cruises home in 50th Arc
• 1972: San San – first filly to win since La Sorellina
• 1973: Rheingold ends Piggott’s drought
• 1974: Out of control – Allez France and the crowd
• 1975: Star Appeal – the outsiders’ outsider at 119/1
• 1976: Ivanjica’s withering run seals it for Wertheimer
• 1977: Alleged prevails in a tactical masterclass
• 1978: Alleged again
• 1979: Three Troïkas triumphs for four Heads
• 1980: Detroit battles it out under Eddery
• 1981: Gold River suited by track and pace
• 1982: Akiyda leads home the A-team
• 1983: Dream passage for All Along
• 1984: Wildenstein again with Sagace
• 1985: Rainbow Quest wins it in the Stewards’ Room
• 1986: Dancing Brave – high, wide and handsome
• 1987: Trempolino leads home three Ts
• 1988: Tony Bin goes one place better
• 1989: Carroll House collects for Jarvis and Balzarini
• 1990: Saumarez for l’homme aux gants blancs
• 1991: Suave Dancer is sublime
• 1992: Subotica slugs it out for Fabre and Jarnet
• 1993: Urban Sea for Saint-Martin junior
• 1994: Like mother like son as Carnégie emulates Detroit
• 1995: Lammtarra wins it all in less than ten minutes
• 1996: Hélissio clearly the best in 75th Arc
• 1997: Peintre Célèbre is picture perfect
• 1998: Sagamix battles home for Lagardère
• 1999: Magnificent Montjeu sprints to glory
• 2000: Sinndar is superlative
• 2001: Sakhee supreme and six million francs richer
• 2002: Marvellous Marienbard takes home the euros
• 2003: Dalakhani destroys the opposition
• 2004: Bago bags it for Niarchos heirs
• 2005: Hurricane Run like a whirlwind
• 2006: Rail Link makes all the right connections
• 2007: Dylan Thomas is poetry in motion
• 2008: After a stumbling start Zarkava zooms in
• 2009: Sea The Stars is out of this world
• 2010: Workforce wows
• 2011: Danedream comes true in record time
• 2012: Orfevre succumbs to Solemia
• 2013: Unbeaten Trêve avec beaucoup de vitesse
• 2014: No truce as Trêve repeats success
• 2015: Golden Horn for the golden boy
• 2016: Found is fantastic as O’Brien dominates
• 2017: Willing Enable stars in second Chantilly Arc
• 2018: Enable doubles up as Arc returns to Longchamp
• 2019: Waldgeist is wunderbar
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Photos