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Joseph O'Brien's Al Riffa and Los Angeles trained for Coolmore by Ballydoyle’s master, Adian O’Brien, are expected to battle it out at Longchamp in this Sunday's Gr.1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Shin Emperor carries the weight of Japanese expectations in Europe's richest middle-distance contest.
Joseph O'Brien's Al Riffa, part-owned by Japanese businessman Masaaki Matsushima, is set to be piloted by legendary jockey Yutaka Take. The son of Wootton Bassett comes into the race on the back of an impressive five-length victory in the Gr.1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten in August.
O'Brien, seeking to improve on his best finish as a jockey in the Arc (fifth), is buoyed by the support from Japanese racing fans. "We have definitely had lots of well wishes from Japan and especially on social media we've had plenty of messages wishing us luck," he said.
Take, who has previously ridden in the Arc, visited O'Brien's Owning Hill base to familiarise himself with Al Riffa. O'Brien added, "Take is a legendary jockey with lots of experience riding in the Arc. He came to Ireland to sit on the horse last week and they seemed to have a very good relationship."
Aidan O'Brien is likely to field a two-pronged attack with Los Angeles and Continuous. Irish Derby winner Los Angeles caught the eye when finishing fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes over an inadequate 10 furlongs.
"We don't think we've seen the best of Los Angeles yet. He's a very big horse, he's improving physically and there's no doubt a mile and a half is right up his alley," O'Brien stated.
Continuous, fifth in last year's Arc, comes into the race off a third-place finish in the Gr.2 Prix Foy. O'Brien believes the son of Heart's Cry will benefit from a strongly-run race.
Japanese quest for elusive Arc victory
Shin Emperor, trained by Keisuke Miyata, leads the Japanese charge following his third-place finish in the Irish Champion Stakes. Japan has come agonisingly close to Arc victory in recent years, with Nakayama Festa (2010) and Orfevre (2012 and 2013) both finishing second.
The Arc has been a long-standing ambition for Japanese racing, with previous star performers including El Condor Pasa (1999) and Deep Impact (2006). A victory would be a crowning achievement for the nation's breeding and racing programme.
The Arc boasts an illustrious list of winners, including the great Enable, who claimed back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018 before finishing second in 2019. She went on to win the Breeders' Cup Turf and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Last year's victor, Alpinista, followed up her Arc triumph with a gallant second in the Japan Cup.
Other notable recent winners include Torquator Tasso (2021), who shocked the racing world at odds of 72-1, and Sottsass (2020), who retired to stud following his Arc success.
The O'Brien-trained pair are expected to handle any ease in the ground, which could be a crucial factor come race day. Joseph O'Brien commented on Al Riffa's versatility: "Soft ground isn't a disadvantage. He has handled a variety of conditions well in the past."
Notable absentees from this year's Arc include Auguste Rodin, who is being aimed at the Japan Cup, and Opera Singer, who may opt for the Gr.1 Prix de l'Opera on the same card.
As the racing world turns its attention to ParisLongchamp, the stage is set for another thrilling edition of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. With a purse of US$5.6 million, the race continues to attract the best middle-distance horses from around the globe, promising a spectacle of international proportions.
The 2,400-metre contest, first run in 1920, has become the defining race of the European flat season. This year's renewal, with its strong Irish contingent and Japanese challenge, looks set to add another memorable chapter to the Arc's storied history.