Is Sea The Stars Ireland's Best Arc Winner? Irish-trained horses have won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe eight times, with Alleged the only two-time scorer from the Emerald Isle. From Ballymoss in 1958 to Found in 2016, Irish ties with Europe's pre-eminent middle distance contest are strong. Legends of the game like Vincent O'Brien, John Oxx and Aidan O'Brien are multi-time winners, while Seamus McGrath produced one of the great Arc upsets when Levmoss won in 1969. Sea The Stars went to Paris in 2009 with the pressure of the racing world on his back and delivered in fine style for Oxx and Mick Kinane. For many observers, he is Ireland's greatest Arc winner and it will take something special to displace him. Alleged hard to rule out Some might argue there is a case of recency bias in picking Sea The Stars over Alleged, winner in 1977 and 1978 for Vincent O'Brien with the great Lester Piggott on board. Alleged was given a masterful ride by Piggott in 1977, going to the front early and producing a waiting run in order to fully maximise his superior turn of foot later on. A year later, following a summer in which he missed intended targets in the Eclipse at Sandown and the King George at Ascot due to being stricken with a virus, he bagged the Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp in his prep and then swooped fast and late despite being unable to dictate matters in front and facing the softest ground of his career. He is up there with any Arc winner and one of only eight horses to have won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe more than once. 'Only' two for Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien has won the Arc twice and, given his incredible worldwide record, it's sorely tempting to preface that as 'only twice' - such are the standards on which the Ballydoyle supremo is judged. His two winners were Dylan Thomas (2007) and Found (2016). The former survived a 30-minute stewards' inquiry after veering across the track under Kieren Fallon, while Found's win nine years ago is perhaps equally famed for her gutsy success under Ryan Moore and the fact she led home a one-two-three for her trainer. That feat is certainly one of the great of all Arc achievements - Irish or otherwise. Sinndar (2007) became the first horse to win the English and Irish Derby and land the Arc as a three-year-old. Oxx's first winner was a fine performer, while in 1969, Levmoss defied odds of more than 50/1 to prevail for owner/trainer Seamus McGrath. Perfection in equine form Legendary Aussie caller Jim McGrath perhaps summed up Sea The Stars best as he proclaimed him: "Perfection in equine form - a horse of a lifetime." He did so after sounding a note of caution in the home straight with the pacesetters some six lengths clear and Sea The Stars caged in against the running rail. It all changed rapidly as the leaders began to toil and Kinane's partner came to the fore before arrowing clear of the field in a matter of strides. Such was his dominance by that point, McGrath had time to deliver his unforgettable line as the winning post loomed, with the result beyond doubt. Winner of the 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes already that season, Sea The Stars went to Longchamp with some questioning his stamina. Greatness was on the line and when it was truly there to be seized, Kinane's partner went and grabbed it in a manner befitting Ireland's greatest Arc winner to date.
