Ruby Walsh: Quality of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend towers over the rest

Still Standing and Conor Orr (left) take advantage of poor last flight jumps from The Greek (centre) and Cirque Royal (right) to win the BetVictor Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park. Picture: Healy Racing

There are two race meetings this afternoon in Ireland and six in the UK, with just one of those an evening fixture. There are two in both countries on Sunday, but whilst Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes this afternoon will hold its own, the rest is playing second fiddle to the action taking place this weekend in Paris.

That’s not unpatriotic from a predominately National Hunt fan, it’s just the truth and probably has a lot to do with what France Galop has done with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Over the next two days, there are some cracking races that would hold their own on most weekends: listed and Group contests, Graded jump races worth watching, tidy maidens and decent handicaps. Still, in the context of this particular time of year, they are only getting in each other’s way, and all in Longchamp’s shadow.

Killarney hosts the first of two days of action this afternoon, but there isn’t exactly one race of the 15 races that is a must-watch for neutral fans, and they will be lost in all that is on. These are two new days for the Kerry venue, but they are poorly placed in terms of exposure for the sport and are only adding to an already congested weekend calendar. They also come seven days after seven days of racing in Kerry. I don’t know if anyone looked at the calendar, but Listowel only ended last Saturday.

Today, Gowran Park holds the PWC Champion Chase, featuring the Galway Plate winner Royal Rendezvous and the Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Put The Kettle On. A decent contest and the Irish highlight today.

Still, along with all the competition from France and the UK, it was doing well to get the air time it deserves without adding Irish competition. Across the water, Ascot, Redcar, Chester, Newmarket, Fontwell and Wolverhampton are too much to watch and too much you can wait to see a replay of, with the exception of just a few, in particular Newmarket’s Group 1 in which Snow Lantern, Mother Earth and No Speak Alexander face off again. Will Mother Earth finally get the rub of the green now that her stable is back in flying form? It’s entirely possible, but this is one Saturday where what’s happening in France matters to what’s happening here.

Chester and Newmarket formed part of a packed Saturday last week too, and punters in Ireland and Great Britain will want to watch Longchamp because that is where the quality horses are running. I wonder what the data for streams, turnover and attendances will show for Saturday and if anyone will ever look at how to maximise the racing product. This is Arc weekend; we can complement our own product around it but trying to squash it out is foolish.

Tipperary’s card tomorrow is the venue’s flagship card, but my memories of riding there are listening to commentaries of the French races being played out over the public address and conversations being had of what happened in Paris.

Last year at Gowran Park, the loudest cheer I heard was in the betting ring as all those at the Kilkenny venue cheered on Tony Mullins’ Princess Zoe at Longchamp - the only cheer during the complete lockdown. And should she repeat her heroics today expect the cheer in Gowran to be even louder and more significant than for any victor at the foot of Mount Leinster.

She runs in the Prix Du Cadran alongside Trueshan and Stradivarius. Her trainer, Tony Mullins, spent the whole day yesterday removing every Child of Prague statue he could find in Paris before commencing a rain dance just before midnight. She will need every drop of rain forecast to fall if she is to down the two English geldings.

The other Group 1 on today’s card is confined to fillies and mares and could see Thursday’s Bellewstown hero, Frankie Dettori, round off a good week or, more likely, start a good weekend on Loving Dream. She is aptly named because all racehorse owners, trainers, breeders, fans, and everybody in between seems to love the Arc.

Tomorrow’s feature encapsulates just why. The Derby and King George winner Adayar takes on his stablemate Hurricane Lane, who has won the Irish Derby and St Leger.

The dual Oaks heroine Snowfall joins them, along with her stablemate and multiple Group 1 winner Love, and outsider Broome.

Breeders’ Cup and Prix de l’Opera winner Tarnawa heads the market for Dermot Weld after her luckless effort in the Irish Champion Stakes, and Japan is doubly represented, with Chrono Genesis and Deep Bond.

The Japanese have gone close three times to winning what they consider Europe’s premier contest, and Chrono Genesis only found Mishriff too good for him in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.

Alenquer, Raabiah and Mojo Star all warrant a mention because the strength of this contest renders horses of their ability as outsiders, which shows what will be required to win.

The winners of the top middle-distance races face each other on the first Sunday of October, seeking to be champion of their distance. France Galop knew they had the slot and have internationalised this contest with good prize money and a substantial backup card to make Paris the only place to be this weekend.

Our Champions Weekend is growing and may be the warm-up, but it’s better placed than the consolation, British Champions Day. This is the footprint from which our weekend was designed, only first up was best dressed, and history matters. The Arc has a history.

It has three-year-olds versus older horses, the fillies versus the colts. No geldings, just those with stud value wanting to be the best in one of the world’s greatest races.