SUPER filly Zarkava, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, stormed to victory in the £3 million Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris yesterday, the world's richest race on turf.
The 13-8 favourite, overcoming fears about softish ground, took up the running with 300 metres to go and quickly put the issue beyond doubt. She has now won all her seven races.
Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre for the Aga Khan, Zarkava became the
first filly to win the Arc since Urban Sea in 1993, the emphatic manner of her success evoking memories of the great Allez France in 1974.
The runner-up spot went for the second year running to Youmzain (12-1), ridden by Richard Hills for Mick Channon. The colt made late ground but was held by two lengths. Third place in the 16-strong field resulted in a dead-heat between German raider It's Gino, a 150-1 outsider, and Soldier of Fortune, a 9-2 chance by Aidan O'Brien.
There had been concern rain might soften the ground too much for Zarkava but strong winds helped dry the course and the filly made light of her task.
"She had to come out of the pack and she did it well," said De Royer-Dupre. "She has great class. When I saw the filly in the parade ring I felt confident. She can be a little bit nervous, she's a bit of a maniac. Winning this is really important to me."
In her Arc warm-up race last month, the Prix Vermeille, Zarkava had dwelt badly in the starting stalls but still blazed her way to success.
There was no repeat of such trouble at the start yesterday. The filly, taking on colts for the first time in her career, broke lively from stall one to become the first horse to triumph in the Arc from that position since 1964.
Arc day had begun in chaotic fashion as a false start was called in the Prix de l'Abbaye. Fleeting Spirit's gate failed to open, leaving a bemused Ryan Moore to look on helplessly – while most of the runners raced for well over three furlongs.
Unfortunately, Hungarian raider Overdose blazed a trail at the head of affairs and completed the course but by the end of the five-furlong race not many were still racing. Confusion followed but news filtered through that the race would be re-run later in the afternoon, when (with three less horses in the field) Freddie Head's Marchand D'Or duly triumphed to cement his reputation as the champion sprinter of Europe.
The full article contains 437 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
