Scandinavia steps onto the track alongside Queenstown and Caballo De Mar as the Arc weekend kicks off, with the action streamed live on Sky Sports Racing. The celebrated stayer Scandinavia is the marquee attraction on the opening day of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting, anchoring a ten‑horse field in the prestigious Prix du Cadran. Trained by the prolific Aidan O'Brien, the unbeaten champion arrives having won five Group 1 races in his last eight starts, and he looks virtually unbeatable as he stretches out for another long‑distance test. Among the likely challengers, stablemate Queenstown, ridden by Wayne Lordan, appears the most credible threat.
The colt returned in August with a dominant Group 3 victory at the Curragh and later gave chase to Scandinavia in the Irish St Leger. After finishing third in this race last year, Queenstown could once again be in contention for a top‑three finish. Defending champion Caballo De Mar, owned by George Scott, cannot be dismissed either. After a bounce‑back win in the Doncaster Cup, the horse has shown he can still compete at the highest level.
Meanwhile, the outsider Double Major is attracting attention from the longer odds, offering a potential upset for punters. The programme also features a classy pair of fillies, Sunly and Wardaah, leading an eleven‑horse field in the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu.
French trainer Francis‑Henri Graffard has opted to skip the Arc and aim his filly Sunly at this race instead. With Christophe Soumillon aboard, Sunly is a short‑priced contender for her first Group 1 victory and could dominate if she handles the extended distance.
Wardaah, who captured the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster by beating Consent and Cameo, looks ready to step up to a higher class and test her stamina against the best. Consent, the previous year’s winner after edging out Santorini Star, has been improving steadily. After a fourth‑place finish at Goodwood and a third at Doncaster, she appears to be gaining strength with each run.
Another filly, Earth Shot, a Ribblesdale Stakes winner, adds further depth to a field that promises a thrilling contest for the top honours. In the BetMGM Challenge Cup, a highly competitive sprint, Thunder Call and Mezcala are among the favourites in a field of eighteen. Thunder Call, trained by William Haggas, proved his ability over seven furlongs last month, easily dispatching a solid field despite drawing stall one.
Mezcala, piloted by Jack Channon, captured the Buckingham Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting and has been given a 1‑pound allowance for his latest start at Doncaster, enhancing his chances. Course specialist Hickory also looks to place, while George Boughey’s Moonfall, who impressed at Doncaster, must prove he can handle the step down to seven furlongs. Turning to the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay at 12:23 pm, Pierre Bonnard, a son of Camelot, seeks redemption after a disappointing run in the St Leger. He was only two lengths behind the Arc hopeful Maltese Cross in the Great Voltigeur, suggesting he is the class act in this field.
Opponents include Space Waltz from the formidable Fabre stable and Victoire Magique, who is targeting a third consecutive win under Amy Murphy. The subsequent Group 2 Prix Dollar pits Wimbledon Hawkeye against Phineas. The former was arguably unlucky in the Irish Champion Stakes, while Phineas, a four‑time winner, is a rising star for the Fabre operation.
Distant Storm, representing Charlie Appleby and Godolphin after a win at Deauville, also lines up. At 4:35 pm, the Prix Daniel Wildenstein sees Quddwah head a strong field, with Fallen Angel and 2025 Sussex Stakes winner Qirat also in contention. In the 1:15 pm BetMGM British EBF October Stakes at Ascot, John and Thady Gosden’s So Regal looks the top pick after a respectable Group 3 performance. Three‑time winner Secret History could pose the biggest threat despite a sub‑optimal run in a competitive York handicap in August.
The day continues with the five‑furlong BetMGM Rous Stakes at 1:50 pm, featuring a clash between Tuco Salamanca and Regional, followed by the BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes at 2:25 pm where crowd favourite Al Aasy meets five rivals. Al Aasy showed real grit in a Deauville win over Chestnut Rocket, who is slated for Sunday’s Arc. At 3:00 pm, the John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes sees Prince Of India face Division, with the latter currently the market favourite after a narrow defeat to Samangan in France.
The weekend’s action also spreads to Fontwell and Southwell, where fifteen races across jumps and flat disciplines will be contested. The opening morning includes three Group 1 races from Australia, with Sir Delius and Aeliana featured in Flemington’s 7:25 am Turnball Stakes after top‑level clashes at Randwick earlier in the day.
In the 9:44 pm First Lady Stakes, Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Mandanaba, a Grade 2 runner‑up earlier in the campaign, aims to return to the winner’s enclosure. Classic Q, partnered with John Velazquez, steps up to Grade 1 company, while stablemate And One More Time seeks a third consecutive victory for trainer Mark Casse. Across the Atlantic, Todd Pletcher’s American History, who burst into the spotlight with an eight‑length debut win, returns in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, a Grade 1 for two‑year‑olds. Meanwhile, Purview will take on Ancient Egypt in the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine before the focus shifts back to the United States for Keeneland’s Coolmore Turf Mile, where Lake Forest will represent the Haggas stable with Cieren Fallon aboard.
Overall, the Arc weekend promises a packed schedule of high‑calibre races, with seasoned champions, rising stars, and seasoned veterans all vying for glory across a variety of distances and surfaces. Fans can follow every moment on Sky Sports Racing, ensuring they never miss a story from the world of horse racing.