101 entered in 2021 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

101 horses have been entered in the showpiece of the European flat racing season, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, scheduled for Sunday 3 October 2021 at ParisLongchamp.

For the first time in three years the multiple Arc-winning heroine Enable does not feature but mares are still prominent in the betting, with Aidan O’Brien’s 2020 Oaks winner Love heading the market at 7/1, closely followed by Dermot Weld’s 2020 Prix Vermeille and Prix de l’Opera winner Tarnawa.

With plenty of opportunities for the classic generation to play their hands late, expect the betting to change considerably next month and for there to be more surprises at the supplementary entry stage at the end of September.

Seven Japanese horses hold entries, with the pick looking to be 20/1 shot Chrono Genesis, who will look to emulate her sire Bago, winner of the Arc back in 2004.

In Swoop made heavy weather of a Group Three this week but remains the highest-placed finisher from the 2020 Arc still in training. Graffard’s four-year-old was trimmed into 16/1 in a few places but the 25/1 with William Hill appears no more than fair at this stage.

Elsewhere, Jean-Claude Rouget will fancy another crack at this with Raabihah, fifth last season and back for more this year. She is perhaps a few pounds below the level required to take this but may well progress further this year. Makaloun could over-take her at home and is a 40/1 chance with one firm.

Most searches for the Arc winner start and finish with Andre Fabre, who has won the race on no fewer than eight occasions. His Prix Ganay winner Mare Australis looks to hold the strongest claims of his armada at 20/1 and will love twelve furlongs on soft ground this autumn. The vibes are strong but the fear is that the Ganay form looks suspect. An even darker horse could be Mond, a son of Sea The Moon who runs in a French Derby trial in the coming days, but he is not quoted in the antepost betting.

Whilst both rate as very unlikely winners of the 2021 Arc, the respective entries made this week for both Antoine Greizmann’s Natsukashi (100/1) and Frederic Rossi’s Areen (unquoted) bode well. Rossi has been banging on about Areen recently and suddenly the form with Saiydabad looks quite strong.

Finally, we previously highlighted some dazzling winter performances in the provinces and entries have been made for Sogorb’s Ninth Titan and Rouget’s Cheshire Academy.