Horse Talk with Simon Jackson:
Top horse-racing tips and the latest news.
GROUND conditions at Longchamp continue to improve ahead of final declarations for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday October 1.
The going at picturesque Longchamp, situated in the Bois de Boulogne area of western Paris, was described as very soft last weekend but has improved to soft as the weather continues to improve, with some pundits now forecasting good to soft ground on Arc day.
Final declarations for Europe’s premier horse race, which this year carries total prize money of €5 million, are set to be revealed today and will follow yesterday’s update from Longchamp clerk of the course Charles de Cordon.
“The temperatures will start to drop from Thursday so we have nice days today and tomorrow,” de Cordon revealed. “It is drying out but only very slowly, because we get heavy dew each morning at this time of the year, which limits the amount of evapotranspiration.”
Ace Impact continues to head betting with Paddy Power at 5-2 (Tuesday afternoon odds), from 9-2 shot Hukum. They then bet: 6 Westover, 7 Continuous, Feed The Flame, 10 Bay Bridge, 14 Simca Mille, 16 Free Wind, Mr Hollywood, Through Seven Seas, 18 Place Du Carrousel, 20 Emily Dickinson, 25 Onesto, 66 Haya Zark, Sisfahan
ACE Impact maintained his unbeaten record when winning a Group 2 in Deauville on August 15.
The son of Cracksman was having his first start since a wide-margin victory in the Prix de Jockey Club in June where he impressed after racing at the rear of the field before rapidly improving his position to win easily.
Once again the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt raced off the pace in the 10 furlong contest (Prix Guillaume d’Ornano) at Deauville, leading 150 metres out to score by three quarters of a length under Cristian Demuro.
The victory extended Ace Impact’s winning sequence to five starts, secured on differing ground conditions and all over distances from nine-and-a-half to 10-and-a-half furlongs.
The Arc will be his first race over one and a half miles and trainer, Jean-Claude Rouget, anticipates a big run.
“You have to be optimistic about a horse who is unbeaten to this point and who has beaten everything we have put in front of him,” Rouget said at a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe press conference this week (the Racing Post report).
“But a race remains a race and we have new opposition in the shape of the older horses, while you never know at this stage of the year. That said, I think the three kilos the three-year-olds receive at this stage of the year is pretty important.”
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