There’s not one but two Group 1s on the Arc Weekend 2025 day 1 card from Longchamp in Paris. Headlining the opening day of France’s premier Flat fixture on Saturday, 4 October are the Prix du Cadran for staying types and the fillies and mares only Prix de Royallieu.
Unseasonably fine weather means the rare prospect of decent ground at Longchamp for a meeting so often run with cut underfoot. With little rain in the forecast, soft conditions from overwatering by track officials in the Bois de Boulogne will soon dry out.
As for the Arc Weekend 2025 day 1 supporting card, there are three Group 2s alongside the co-features. First up is the Prix Chaudenay for three-year-old stayers. Later on, the Prix Daniel Wildenstein for milers and middle-distance Prix Dollar complete the Pattern races on this day.
It acts as an appetiser of what’s to come in Paris on Sunday when Europe’s richest horse race takes place. Before all that, however, we set our experts the task of finding some winners. Their Saturday selections from Longchamp follow after the tried and tested method of form study.
Our experts do that digging, then combine what they know about past performance with the best prices available through horse racing bookmakers online, so you know who the fancies are. Read on for analysis of the five Group races on the card.
Arc Weekend 2025 Day 1 Preview for Saturday, 4 October
12:23 – 1m 7f Group 2 Prix Chaudenay
⭕ #ParisLongchamp – Prix Gérald de Geoffre (Gr III)
Espoir Avenir (Montmartre) s’offre son premier succès black type avec 5 longueurs d’avance pour C. Ferland et Enzo Corallo. Il devance Emit (Too Darn Hot) et Hotheaded (Frankel). pic.twitter.com/oNCtgvg6wp— France Galop (@francegalop) August 31, 2025
On that evidence, Espoir Avenir has nothing to fear from re-opposing rivals Emit and Zingaro. He has stout breeding and the remainder of the home team just don’t have pedigrees to match. Far greater dangers to Espoir Avenir lie in Irish raiders heading to Longchamp.
Joseph O’Brien doesn’t just rely on Emit, but also Tennessee Stud, who would prefer softer ground but shaped previously in the Epsom and Irish Derbies like this longer trip would suit. Connections foolishly swerved the Leger for a tilt at an Arc Trial with him.
Tennessee Stud could well improve for going up three furlongs in distance. The remaining three, the Aga Khan Studs runner Surabad, Amy Murphy’s Native Irish and Enea, must step up on all known form just to hit the frame.
1:33 – 2m 4f Group 1 Prix du Cadran
Just three remained in this historic French equivalent of the Ascot Gold Cup after forfeits on Tuesday, but five supplementary entries followed on Wednesday. Among those added to the staying feature of Arc Weekend 2025 day 1 are QUEENSTOWN and Caballo De Mar. Preference is the former, despite being busy in recent weeks.
Aidan O’Brien has won two of the last three editions of the Cadran with Kyprios. In Queenstown, he has a five-year-old that chased home that one twice in the spring of 2024. In more recent times, he kept on into third in the Ebor and Irish Cesarewitch carrying a welter burden on his latest outing.
George Scott runs German St Leger winner and Chester Cup second Caballo De Mar, who has progressed out of handicaps. He should go well with stamina proven up to 2m, albeit at a more modest level. Of the others, Andrew Balding’s Coltrane was third here in 2024 and only beaten a couple of lengths by Kyprios, but he’s now eight.
Despite being the elder statesman in the line-up, he’s preferred to stable companion Alsakib, who hasn’t demonstrated sufficient stamina for this. David Menuisier runs Sunway, but he was only promoted to third in last season’s St Leger by the stewards and hasn’t shaped like a stayer in either the Goodwood Cup or Doncaster Cup behind Coltrane.
3:25 – 1m Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein
DREAMLINER wins the Prix Quincey(Gr.3) for Stéphane Wattel and Patrick Hugh Betts! 🎉
He was sold by @harasdubuff to his trainer at the 2023 October Yearling Sale🍂! pic.twitter.com/8pkLyMn2KI
— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) August 30, 2025
The former shaped like trying further might help in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York on his penultimate outing. Last year’s third and fourth Alcantor and Marhaba Ya Sanafi should be on the premises again, but the potential improver is DREAMLINER seeking a four-timer progressing through the grades.
Stephane Wattel’s three-year-old Adlerflug colt is a strong stayer over the trip with that breeding and beat subsequent Prix du Moulin hero Sahlan earlier in the campaign. Dreamliner has since completed his hat-trick in a Deauville Group 3, so this is the next logical step for him.
British raider Quddwah often travels well over to France for Simon & Ed Crisford, so could bounce back from a disappointing display in the Moulin. Zabairi adds another string to the Aga Khan bow, meanwhile, but Joseph O’Brien raider Princess Child and Darius Cen will find life at this level much harder.
4:00 – 1m 6f Group 1 Prix de Royallieu
Santorini Star faced challenges all the way up the Doncaster home straight last time, but turned them away for Group 2 success in the Park Hill Stakes. She meets re-opposing runner-up Consent off 2lb better terms, which should help her confirm the placings. Sir Mark Prescott’s charge previously filled the same spot behind Indalimos at Deauville.
Andre Fabre has one of the leading French contenders for the Royallieu in her, but there’s also Juddmonte’s Latakia to consider. She too landed a Pattern race over an extended mile-and-a-half on the Normandy Coast this summer. Aidan O’Brien could run Bedtime Story over this longer trip too for the younger generation.
She keeps shaping like a step up in trip will suit her despite the speedy distaff side of her pedigree. Similar comments apply to Survie, who hasn’t been able to go the pace at a mile-and-a-quarter or mile-and-a-half this term. Bibbiena can’t be discounted over a course and distance she’s scored previously at either. Shaha is also interesting following a break.
4:35 – 1m 1f 165y Group 2 Prix Dollar
WHAT A THRILLER! 😱
Owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid dominates the G2 @SkyBet Strensall Stakes as 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 exhibits the heart of a lion to deny Boiling Point 🟡⚫️🟡@LeveySean | @rhannonracing pic.twitter.com/4OS2kHaUwT
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 23, 2025
Since Richard Hannon’s charge just held off Boiling Point on the Knavesmire, that one has defied topweight to land the valuable Cambridgeshire Handicap. King Of Cities was a never dangerous ninth in the French Derby on his last cross-Channel raid, but only beaten four lengths. He could be developing later in the campaign than others.
Prix Niel runner-up Bay City Roller will be popular with Oisin Murphy booked for the ride, but he finishes second a lot. Similar comments apply to Brian Meehan’s Rashabar. Ireland relies on Sandown Classic Trial winner Swagman, but he’s had just one subsequent start to that spring victory.
Dante runner-up Damysus won his latest outing in France, and the horses he split in this grade at York have both won good races since. Even the fourth home landed a handicap. Fabre runs a couple of four-year-olds against the youngsters, but First Look flopped in this race 12 months ago and Bright Picture needs more than his reappearance win here.
