Le Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

History of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

First run on October 3rd 1920, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a "spin-off" from the Grand Prix de Paris.
The French racing authorities initially only wanted to develop racing for thoroughbreds born and bred in France; but the reputation of French horses quickly spread beyond its borders, and it was eventually decided to open the Grand Prix de Paris to three-year-olds from all over the world. During a committee meeting of 11 January 1862, it was decided that FF 100,000 would be awarded to the winning horse: a staggering amount at the time.
With the help of the Duke of Morny, the city of Paris agreed to contribute FF 50,000, and five different railway companies FF10,000 apiece. The Grand Prix de Paris was first run in 1863 in accordance with the following conditions:

• A race for colts and fillies from any country.
• To be run on a Sunday.
• Over 3,000 m.

The first running of the Grand Prix de Paris on 31 May 1863 was a success that exceeded all expectations.

Thirty years later, in 1893, the Grand Prix de Paris became the Prix du Conseil Municipal in order to attract the best older horses. Thanks to the huge amount of prize money, the race became extremely successful with foreign owners. However, as it was a Handicap race, the Prix du Conseil Municipal could never become a Classic and was therefore never considered important in breeding terms.

At a committee meeting on January 24th 1920, attended by the British ambassador, the Count of Derby, the French racing authorities decided to create a highly prestigious international race that would be complementary to the Grand Prix de Paris.

And so the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe came into being, its title a tribute to the French soldiers that served in the Great War. The name was preferred to another contender, the "Prix de la Victoire".

The "Arc" was created just after the First World War, which had put paid to so much of France's best bloodstock. France Galop's decision to found a classic race was thus both courageous and optimistic. Since that time, the Arc's reputation has never ceased to grow, and today the race stands as a glowing tribute to the many men and women who have worked tirelessly to promote flat racing in France.

This new inter-generational horserace, limited to 20 starters, has maintained the same race conditions as the Prix du Conseil Municipal (it has always been run on the first Sunday in October, except in 1939 in 1940, over a mile and a half) but without handicapping.

The mile and a half turf track comprises an uphill and downhill slope with a challenging rising straight as you come out of the final bend. The Arc winner will be an animal with speed and stamina in equal measures. The winner is also usually drawn less than 10 (on the inside) from where he or she can remain in the leading group and then attack the 533 m straight to the finishing post.

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was first run at Longchamp racecourse on Sunday October 3rd 1920. The first horse across the line was Comrade, owned by Evremond de Saint-Alary, followed by King’s Cross and Pleurs. The prize money was then 150,000 francs to the winner, 18,000 francs to the runner-up and 10,000 francs to the third-placed horse.

The Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club and France Galop have reached an exclusive partnership agreement for a five-year period (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012). Courtesy of this deal, French horseracing will enter a major new phase in the History of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe which, from 2008, becomes the world’s most richly rewarded turf race.

The Arc’s purse is thus swelled from 2 to 4 million euros (roughly 5.8 millions dollars), a doubling of the prize money which constitutes a major event for world racing.

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is also ranked top among international races, based on the outcome of the last three renewals (average of the ratings from 2005, 2006 and 2007) This ranking is helping to establish the Arc as international horseracing’s greatest event (the annual rating is the average handicap rating allocated to the first four finishers).
Since 1920, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has been run 86 times. On Sunday 5 October 2008, Longchamp Racecourse will once again witness the communion of the world’s top thoroughbreds for the 87th edition of this major international sporting event.

History of Longchamp Racecourse

The magnificent profile of the large highly demanding Longchamp course make it one of the world’s leading racecourses. The mile-and-a-half distance makes for the ideal test of a thoroughbred. The famous rise, next to the Bois de Boulogne, climbs to a height of 10 metres. And four furlongs from the winning post a long turn is followed by a “false” straight, which precedes the final finishing straight of three furlongs.

Longchamp also plays an ambassadorial role on behalf of French racing, courtesy of its prestigious programme of 16 Group I races, including the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, run on the first Sunday in October (5 October). Thanks to the exclusive partnership with the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, the combined purse for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Weekend is now 6.7 million dollars, lifting the Arc to first position among turf races in terms of prize money (4 million euros) and in terms of rating. The weekend of the Arc, the ultimate test and a benchmark the world over, makes the front pages around the globe every year and brings over 60,000 spectators together for an exceptional spectacle.

Another string to Longchamp’s bow is its 55.5 hectares of grounds where families can relax, and it is this concept that lies behind the “Sunday at the Races” which, attract sizeable crowds in the spring. July 14th brings another “festival of horseracing” at Longchamp, as the evening air echoes to the sound of the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris race meeting.

On 18 August 1854, the Paris city council authorised the town Prefect to acquire property in the Bois de Boulogne where a racetrack could be built in the city's name. By the terms of the lease, signed in June 1856, the city of Paris granted the French racing authorities 60 hectares at Longchamp (from 1st July 1856 to 30 June 1906).

On 15 December 1856, the State accorded the "Société d'Encouragement" the right to run the "Autumn" race series hitherto held at the Champs-de-Mars under the management of Haras.
The first ever race was run at Longchamp on Sunday 27 April 1857 in front of a massive crowd. The Emperor Napoleon III and his wife Eugénie were present, having sailed down the Seine on their private yacht to watch the third race. Until 1930, many Parisians would came to the track down the river on steamboats and various other vessels, the trip taking about an hour to the Pont de Suresnes.

The royal couple joined Prince Jerome Bonaparte and his son Prince Napoleon in the Royal Enclosure alongside the Prince of Nassau, Prince Murat and the Duke of Morny, an avid racegoer. Non-aristocratic members of the upper classes were not permitted into the Royal enclosure and had to be content with watching from their barouche carriages on the lawn.
Charabancs, Victoria carriages and paddle boats all brought Parisians to Longchamp. And they came as much for a day out as from curiosity for this new form of entertainment.

The card for the opening day contained five races. The first horse ever to cross the finishing line was Eclaireur, in the black and red colours of Auguste Lupin. A short length behind was Miss Gladiator, destined, a few years later, to become one of the most famous brood mares in French racing history when she foaled the celebrated Gladiateur, whose bronze statue still stands at the main entrance to the racetrack.

In the late Spring of 1914, Longchamp opened its doors to the Grand Prix de Paris - at that time the world's richest race, with prize money totalling FF 300,000. At the beginning of August, however, all racecourses were requisitioned for the war effort. Racing officially began again on 5 May 1919 at Maisons Laffitte, then again at Longchamp on the 8th.

Since it was first run on 3 October 1920, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has become the world's foremost race for three-year-olds and above over the classic mile and a half distance. It takes place on the first Sunday in October. The "Arc", as it is known, is every bit as prestigious as the English Derby at Epsom or the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, and equally steeped in tradition, style and glamour.
Famous Longchamp features

The windmill
The windmill, which stands today on Longchamp racecourse was once part of a monastery. Nestled opposite the Suresnes pond, the first stone was laid on 12 June 1256 by king Saint Louis. The windmill was demolished with the rest of the abbey when the clerics were banished during the revolution. It was rebuilt on the same foundations when the course was renovated in 1856. The roof and a wing were partially destroyed during a bombardment on 4 April 1943 and repaired again in 1949. Since 1957, the Prix du Moulin has appeared on the card at Longchamp. It is a Group 1 race for entire horses and mares of 3 and over run at the beginning of September over 1,600 m.

The totaliser
This highly original building housed the Longchamp totaliser from 1927 to 1972. The totaliser, an ingenious Australian invention was a forerunner to the computer: on racedays the stakes would be posted in the small skylight cut into the facade. In 2000, France Galop gave this historically valuable neo-Norman building a complete facelift.

The Caucasian Pterocarya
Longchamp boasts two of the most magnificent arboreal specimens in the French capital…two Caucasian Pterocaryas, one which stands near the totaliser building and the other near the workshops. No less than 33 metres high and 6.80 metres in trunk circumference, these beauties are only marginally smaller than an Oriental Plane trees in Parc Monceau which measures no less than 7.05 m in circumference.

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