Scandinavia steps up to meet Queenstown and Caballo De Mar as the Arc weekend kicks off, with live coverage on Sky Sports Racing. The celebrated stayer Scandinavia headlines Day 1 of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the prolific Group 1 winner leads a ten‑horse field in the Prix du Cadran. Entering the race unbeaten in his last eight outings, Scandinavia has already amassed five Group 1 victories and appears virtually unbeatable when stretched out over extended distances once more.
Stablemate Queenstown, ridden by Wayne Lordan, is the most likely challenger. After a dominant Group 3 win at the Curragh in August, Queenstown chased Scandinavia home in the Irish St Leger and finished third in this race last year, suggesting he could again be in contention for the win. Defending champion Caballo De Mar, trained by George Scott, remains a serious threat after rebounding with a comfortable Doncaster Cup victory. Meanwhile, the outsider Double Major offers the best value among the longer odds.
In the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu, a classy duo – Sunly and Wardaah – headline an eleven‑horse field. Francis‑Henri Graffard opted to skip the Arc and target this race instead.
His filly Sunly, partnered with Christophe Soumillon, is a short‑priced favorite to claim her first top‑level win and could outshine her rivals if she stays the extra distance. Wardaah, fresh from a Park Hill Stakes triumph at Doncaster where she beat Consent and Cameo, looks ready to test herself at a higher level. Consent, the previous year’s winner after beating Santorini Star, has shown steady improvement with a fourth place at Goodwood and a third at Doncaster, indicating she may be on an upward trajectory.
Ribblesdale winner Earth Shot also presents an each‑way prospect in a strong field. The BetMGM Challenge Cup promises a fiercely contested showdown as Thunder Call and Mezcala head an eighteen‑horse field. William Haggas’s Thunder Call proved his class when he stepped up to seven furlongs, easily dispatching a solid field over the course and distance last month.
Despite drawing stall one, he should still have plenty to give. Mezcala, ridden by Jack Channon, captured the Buckingham Palace Stakes over the same trip at the Royal meeting and has been allowed a one‑pound drop for his latest start at Doncaster, enhancing his chances.
Other contenders include course specialist Hickory, while George Boughey’s Moonfall, a Britannia winner who impressed at Doncaster, must demonstrate he can handle the dip to seven furlongs. Turning to the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay at 12:23 pm, Pierre Bonnard aims to rebound after a lackluster St Leger run. The son of Camelot was only two lengths behind Arc hopeful Maltese Cross in the Great Voltigeur and appears the class act of the field. Opponents include Space Waltz from the formidable Fabre stable and Victoire Magique, seeking a third consecutive win for trainer Amy Murphy.
In the subsequent Group 2 Prix Dollar, Wimbledon Hawkeye and Phineas clash. Wimbledon Hawkeye may have been unlucky in the Irish Champion Stakes, while Phineas, a four‑time winner, is a rising star for Fabre.
Distant Storm, representing Charlie Appleby and Godolphin after a Deauville win, rounds out the field. At 4:35 pm, the Prix Daniel Wildenstein sees Quddwah head the entries, with Fallen Angel and 2025 Sussex Stakes victor Qirat also in contention. The John and Thady Gosden‑trained So Regal is the pick for Ascot’s 1:15 pm BetMGM British EBF October Stakes, having shown credit in Group 3 company previously. Among the rivals, three‑time winner Secret History could pose a serious threat despite a sub‑optimal run in a competitive York handicap in August.
Sky Sports Racing continues to deliver the latest horse‑racing news, interviews, and features for fans on the go. Later, the five‑furlong BetMGM Rous Stakes at 1:50 pm pits Tuco Salamanca against Regional, while crowd favourite Al Aasy faces five opponents in the BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes at 2:25 pm. Al Aasy demonstrated grit by beating Chestnut Rocket – a future Arc participant – at Deauville. At 3:00 pm, the John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes sees Prince Of India take on Division, with the latter currently favored after a narrow defeat to Samangan in France.
Jump and flat action will also be on display at Fontwell and Southwell, with fifteen races scheduled across the two venues. The day opens with three Group 1 contests from Australia.
Sir Delius and Aeliana feature in Flemington’s 7:25 am Turnball Stakes after earlier top‑class clashes at Randwick. Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Mandanaba, a Grade 2 runner‑up earlier in the season, targets a return to the winners’ enclosure in the 9:44 pm First Lady Stakes. Classic Q, partnered with John Velazquez, steps up to Grade 1 company, while stablemate And One More Time seeks a hat‑trick for trainer Mark Casse.
American History, who impressed with an eight‑length debut, returns in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity – a Grade 1 for two‑year‑olds under trainer Todd Pletcher. Purview meets 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. Lake Forest represents the Haggas stable in that race, with Cieren Fallon aboard. Overall, the Arc weekend promises a packed schedule of high‑profile contests across multiple venues, offering plenty of drama for racing enthusiasts worldwide.