Scandinavia steps up to challenge 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, leading a ten‑horse field in the prestigious Prix du Cadran. Under the guidance of Aidan O'Brien, the horse arrives unbeaten in his last eight outings, having amassed an impressive five Group 1 triumphs along the way, and looks virtually unbeatable when stretched out over a longer distance once more.
Among the potential threats, stablemate Queenstown, piloted by Wayne Lordan, appears the most likely to cause a stir. The colt returned to form with a convincing Group 3 win at the Curragh in August and later finished a close second to Scandinavia in the Irish St Leger. After a third‑place finish in the same race last year, Queenstown could well be back in contention for the top spot.
George Scott’s defending champion Caballo De Mar cannot be dismissed either. The horse rebounded with a comfortable victory in the Doncaster Cup, suggesting he still possesses the class to challenge for the prize.
Meanwhile, the long‑shot Double Major offers value for those looking for a higher‑odds option. Turning to the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu, the field of eleven features the elegant duo Sunly and Wardaah. French trainer Francis‑Henri Graffard opted to skip the Arc in favour of this race, placing his filly Sunly as a short‑priced favourite to claim her first top‑level win under jockey Christophe Soumillon. If Sunly can stay the extended trip, she is likely to outshine her rivals.
Wardaah, who captured the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster by beating Consent and Cameo, appears ready to step up to the higher class. Consent, the previous year’s winner after defeating Santorini Star, has shown steady improvement with a fourth‑place finish at Goodwood and a third at Doncaster this season. Earth Shot, a Ribblesdale winner, also adds depth to an already strong lineup.
The BetMGM Challenge Cup promises a fiercely contested sprint over seven furlongs, with Thunder Call and Mezcala among the favourites in a field of eighteen. Thunder Call, trained by William Haggas, demonstrated his ability to handle the extra distance when he comfortably beat a solid field last month, despite drawing the difficult stall one.
Mezcala, ridden by Jack Channon, earned a win in the Buckingham Palace Stakes over the same distance and has been given a weight reduction of one pound for his upcoming sixth start at Doncaster. Other contenders include course specialist Hickory and George Boughey’s Moonfall, who impressed at Doncaster but must prove he can cope with the step down to seven furlongs.
In the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay at 12:23 pm, Pierre Bonnard looks to rebound after a disappointing run in the St Leger. The son of Camelot was only two lengths behind Arc hopeful Maltese Cross in the Great Voltigeur and is regarded as the class act of the field. Opponents include Space Waltz from the powerful Fabre stable and Victoire Magique, who is seeking a third consecutive win for trainer Amy Murphy. The subsequent Group 2 Prix Dollar will see Wimbledon Hawkeye and Phineas lock horns.
Wimbledon Hawkeye, arguably unlucky in the Irish Champion Stakes, is eager for redemption, while Phineas, a four‑time winner, represents the Fabre operation’s rising talent. Distant Storm, representing Charlie Appleby and Godolphin after a Deauville success, also features. At 4:35 pm, the Prix Daniel Wildenstein is topped by Quddwah, with Fallen Angel and 2025 Sussex Stakes winner Qirat slated to challenge.
The 1:15 pm BetMGM British EBF October Stakes at Ascot sees So Regal, trained by John and Thady Gosden, as the leading contender after a respectable Group 3 performance. Secret History, a three‑time winner, could pose the main threat despite a sub‑optimal run in a competitive York handicap in August.
Sky Sports Racing continues to deliver the latest racing news, interviews and features across all platforms. Later in the day, the five‑furlong BetMGM Rous Stakes at 1:50 pm will pit Tuco Salamanca against Regional, while crowd favourite Al Aasy takes on five rivals in the BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes at 2:25 pm. Al Aasy showed real grit when he beat Chestnut Rocket—who is slated for Sunday’s Arc—at Deauville in his last outing.
At 3:00 pm, the John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes features a showdown between Prince Of India and Division, with Division currently the market favourite after a narrow defeat to Samangan in France. The action spreads to Fontwell and Southwell, where both jumps and flat racing will be on display across fifteen scheduled races. The day opens with three Group 1 contests from Australia, with Sir Delius and Aeliana contesting Flemington’s Turnball Stakes at 7:25 am after earlier top clashes at Randwick.
Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Mandanaba, a Grade 2 runner‑up earlier in the campaign, aims to return to the winner’s 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. In the United States, Todd Pletcher’s American History, who burst onto the scene with an eight‑length debut victory, returns in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, a Grade 1 event for two‑year‑olds. Finally, Purview will take on Ancient Egypt in the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine before the focus shifts back to the U.S.
for the Keeneland Coolmore Turf Mile, where Lake Forest carries the Haggas colours with Cieren Fallon aboard.